Residents in Crystal Palace, Sydenham, and surrounding areas are finally seeing water supplies slowly return to normal after days without service, Thames Water has confirmed.
The disruption, which began on Tuesday evening (February 11, 2025), was caused by a burst water pipe in Dulwich, leaving homes, businesses, and essential services struggling for access to clean water.
Water Supply Restored, But Some Issues Persist
Thames Water announced that repair works have now been completed, and pressure in the system is gradually returning. However, residents may continue to experience:
- Lower water pressure than usual, particularly in taller buildings.
- Intermittent water loss during peak demand periods.
- Cloudy or bubbly water, caused by trapped air in the pipes, though Thames Water reassures this is safe to drink.
For those still without access to running water, Thames Water has set up a bottled water station at Sainsbury’s Southend Lane (SE26 4PU), which will remain open until 9 PM.
Frustration Among Residents Over Four-Day Disruption
The water shortage affected residents in SE19, SE20, SE23, SE26, SE27, and SW16, leaving many struggling to complete basic daily tasks.
The outage also impacted seven schools and three care homes, forcing emergency measures to ensure vulnerable residents had access to water.
Local resident Anna Kakule, 27, from Sydenham, expressed her frustration:
“It’s annoying. The water has been going on and off for three days. The pressure is low, and sometimes it just stops completely.”
Some residents were forced to travel miles to collect bottled water, with many criticising the lack of communication from Thames Water.
Thames Water Issues Apology
A Thames Water spokesperson addressed the disruption:
*”We’re sorry to customers in the Crystal Palace area who have had no water or lower pressure than usual due to a burst pipe.
We have now carried out the repair, and supplies will slowly return to normal as pressures in the system build.
As part of our response to minimise the impact, our teams and engineers diverted water from other areas, helping bring most customers back into supply. However, some may still experience temporary loss of supply during high-demand periods.”*
Residents Call for Accountability
Despite the resolution, many South Londoners remain frustrated, with some calling for compensation for the extended outage.
One resident voiced concerns over Thames Water’s ongoing request to increase customer bills, saying:
“We’ve been without water for over four days, yet they still want to raise our bills. It’s ridiculous.”
Next Steps
Thames Water has pledged to monitor the situation closely and address any further issues that arise. Residents are advised to run their taps if water appears cloudy or bubbly, as this should clear up as the supply stabilises.
For updates, customers can check Thames Water
