Households across parts of Hertfordshire, Essex and north London have been left without water or facing low pressure after a major Thames Water supply failure, with emergency bottled water stations opened for affected residents.
The disruption began overnight on Tuesday 10 November 2026 and has affected customers across several postcode areas, including E4, EN8, EN9, EN10 and EN11.
Thames Water has also identified CM16, SG12 and SG13 among the areas potentially affected by the incident.
In its latest update at 6.10pm on Wednesday 11 November, the company said most customers should still have water flowing from their taps, but some households in EN11, SG12 and SG13 continued to experience a complete loss of supply or reduced pressure.
Engineers are working to repair the fault, with the company confirming that work is continuing around the clock.
Engineers Working to Restore Water Supplies
Thames Water said specialist teams were on site attempting to restore supplies after the disruption developed overnight.
In an earlier update, the company said engineers were waiting for a replacement part needed to carry out the repair.
It confirmed that contingency plans were in place in case the planned repair could not be completed successfully.
By Wednesday evening, the company said progress was being made, although the problem had not been fully resolved.
“We’re sorry to customers who have been experiencing issues with their water. Most should still have water flowing at their tap,” Thames Water said.
“Some customers in the EN11, SG12 & SG13 areas we know are experiencing no water or low pressure. Our teams continue working to fix things and get your supply back to normal.”
The company has not confirmed when full supplies will be restored.
Areas Affected by Thames Water Outage
The postcode districts listed by Thames Water as potentially affected are:
- E4: Chingford
- EN8: Cheshunt and Waltham Cross
- EN9: Waltham Abbey
- EN10: Broxbourne
- EN11: Hoddesdon
- CM16: Epping area
- SG12: Ware area
- SG13: Hertford area
Not every property within these postcode districts is necessarily affected.
Thames Water said the majority of customers remained in supply, although some were experiencing lower water pressure than normal.
The most significant problems reported in its latest update were in the EN11, SG12 and SG13 areas.
Emergency Bottled Water Stations Open Until 9pm
Thames Water has established two bottled water collection points for households without running water.
The stations are located at:
Tesco Superstore, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1JH
Van Hage Garden Centre, Pepper Hill, SG12 9RP
Both collection points are scheduled to remain open until 9pm on Wednesday 11 November.
The company has asked residents to collect only the water they need, ensuring supplies remain available for households experiencing a complete loss of service.
Customers who still have running water, even at lower pressure, have been asked not to collect emergency bottled supplies.
Vulnerable and Medically Dependent Customers Prioritised
Thames Water has confirmed that bottled water is being delivered to customers registered as medically dependent on their water supply.
These include people with medical conditions requiring reliable access to water.
In its latest update, the company said delivery teams were already working across the affected area and making progress reaching priority customers.
Residents registered on the Priority Services Register as water dependent were advised that deliveries were underway.
Other customers requiring urgent support can contact Thames Water directly.
Fault at Chingford Pumping Facility
Information circulated to local authorities on Tuesday identified a leaking valve at Thames Water’s Lower Hall Booster Station in Chingford.
The fault caused significant flooding at the facility, requiring the site to be drained before repairs could begin.
Thames Water also needed to check electrical control equipment for possible water damage.
Earlier contingency planning warned that, in a worst-case scenario, a much larger number of properties across north London, Essex and Hertfordshire could be affected if repairs were unsuccessful.
However, that was a potential scenario rather than the confirmed number of homes that subsequently lost supply.
Thames Water Apologises as Repairs Continue
Thames Water said teams would continue working until supplies returned to normal.
“We know how disruptive it is if you lose your water supply, and we will continue to work 24/7 until we return the area to normal,” the company said.
The supplier has apologised for the disruption and thanked customers for their patience.
Residents can check the latest information through the Thames Water incident updates.
Customers requiring additional help can contact Thames Water on 0800 316 9800.
A further update was scheduled for 8pm on Wednesday evening.
