Water gushes down Southampton residential street after leak

The leak in Holcroft Road was first spotted around Wednesday last week, a resident says.

Despite engineers attending the site, water is still pouring onto the road. 

READ MORE: Couple hits out at 'Rivers of Babylon' streaming down their street

Michael Simpson, who lives on Holcroft Road, said: "You can see the volume of water coming out, there seems to be a sizable burst there.

"If you do not accept the responsibility for these things, we are promoting irresponsibility.

"It needs to be looked at. You just assume they are going to do their jobs but nothing has been done.

"It's a big leak and the water's going there, it is phenomenal. If it was a house leaking like that, it would cost a fortune.

"They can't get away with it. It's wrong."

The water leak on Holcroft Road, Thornhill (Image: Elisabeth Wilson)

Mr Simpson said he contacted Southern Water, who told him it is aware of the leak but couldn't do anything because a parked van was in the way.

"(I said) you have got the phone number on the van there, you could just phone the phone number," he added.

Despite the loss of water, water supply for nearby homes seems unaffected.

Another resident on the road, Jenny Evans, said: "Southern Water came around and asked if we knew who owns the van.

"But I was just thinking 'call the number on the van'. They said they couldn't fix it unless the van moves."

Southern Water issued a hosepipe ban earlier this summer as the country faced its worst drought since 1976.

READ MORE: Heat is causing ground to swell - and water pipes to burst

The company's leakage team supervisor told the Echo in July that leaks happen more often in the summer.

Patrick Moore, supervisor of the leakage team at Southern Water, said: "The ground expands in the summer and shrinks in winter. As the ground expands, the pipes can come into contact with pieces of metal in the ground which can pierce them. 

"It can only take a paper-thin sized split to cause a leak, because of the water pressure on the mains.

"There's nothing we can do to prevent leaks, but we anticipate and budget for the busier times of the year. Any leak can soon develop and became a big problem."

Southern Water has been contacted for comment.

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