Most residents back on supply, but low pressure persists for some
Most homes across east London and neighbouring parts of Essex have had mains water restored after outages that began on 9 August, but almost 600 properties remain on reduced pressure as engineers continue recovery work, according to local officials and the water company.
The disruption followed multiple burst water mains that left large pockets without supply earlier this week. Thames Water issued rolling updates as repair teams worked through the network, and council emergency teams set up relief measures for affected communities.
- Areas impacted: postcodes across east London and Essex — including E10, E11, E17, E18, E4, IG10, IG2, IG4, IG5, IG6, IG7, IG8, IG9 and RM4 — reported outages at various stages of the incident.
- Current status: the majority of customers are back in supply, but around 599 homes in the IG7 postcode may still be experiencing low pressure while the network recovers.
- Response: a 24-hour resource plan remains in place over the weekend and through Monday, with teams monitoring booster systems and carrying out airing activity to release trapped air.
A spokesperson for Thames Water described ongoing steps to restore normal pressure levels, saying network teams were working to remove trapped air and that Chigwell Reservoir was recovering, allowing more customers to be supported as levels increased.
"Following further work this afternoon, the majority of customers are now back in supply, although we continue to receive some reports of low pressure as the network recovers," a Thames Water spokesperson said.
Local authorities co-ordinated relief efforts while the incident unfolded. Epping Forest District Council and Redbridge Council worked alongside Thames Water to open water stations and distribute bottled water to residents, with special attention to vulnerable people identified by council records.
An EFDC spokesperson said the timing of the outage was especially difficult as it coincided with an amber heat-health alert and the fifth heatwave of the summer. The council thanked partner organisations and volunteers — including the British Red Cross — for helping to check on residents and deliver bottled water.
What residents should expect next
Thames Water warned that while supply has been largely restored, customers may continue to notice low pressure intermittently as the network stabilises. The company said specialist teams would continue airing operations across affected parts of the network, and that staff remained on standby to respond rapidly to any fresh issues.
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Majority of customers | Back in supply |
| Properties with low pressure | ~599 (IG7 postcode) |
| Operational plan | 24-hour resource plan active through weekend into Monday |
Residents experiencing ongoing low pressure were advised to report problems through Thames Water’s customer channels so engineers can prioritise affected properties. The company emphasised that teams would continue to monitor booster pumps and reservoir levels.
Neighbourhood resilience during this incident illustrates the importance of council and voluntary-sector co-ordination when essential services fail. Councils said partner agencies and community volunteers played a key role in delivering lifesaving supplies and checking on people at risk.
For households, hygiene and health guidance remains straightforward: conserve water where possible, use stored supply sparingly, and contact local authorities if anyone in the household is medically dependent on a consistent supply for treatment equipment.
Thames Water and local councils said they would keep the public updated as the network fully recovers. In the meantime, the incident serves as a reminder of the fragility of water infrastructure during extended hot weather and the need for contingency planning at local level.
