Water mains leaking in Eastbourne during draught: It's been ‘pumping out water for over 24 hours’

Nicholas Royall, of Lindfield Road, said today (Friday, August 12) he noticed water leaking from a mains water supply on his street.

He said: “The very day South East Water's hosepipe ban comes into effect I spotted a leak on a valve in the pavement.”

Mr Royall, a retired environmental geologist, said he estimated a leak like this will cause the loss of about five litres of water per second or the equivalent of 432,000 litres a day – enough to fill eight domestic swimming pools.He said: “South East Water have noted the report but don’t consider it a priority and told me I should phone them back if it gets any worse.”

Just a few hours later Robin Hirschfeld, of Tolkien Road, reported to the Herald there is a burst pipe on his road which has been ‘pumping out water for over 24 hours’.

He said: “This was reported to the water company yesterday (Thursday, August 11) around 12pm and yet, at a time when they are announcing a hosepipe ban and drought as the water reservoir is running dry, nothing has been done and they have allowed it to continue to pump water out that is just going straight down the drain.”

Currently East Sussex has a hosepipe ban in place due to the long periods of dry weather and high temperatures.

South East Water has been approached on both matters.

Heatwave and hosepipe ban in Eastbourne