Temperature drop causes flooding in Upminster
An Upminster garden was left flooded after the sudden drop in temperature last week caused a pipe to burst.
Dennis McEwin, 78, from Howard Road, Upminster, noticed that his back garden had been saturated with five inches of water which has come from a nearby alleyway off his road.
He alerted the council, and Essex Water sent out four vans to solve the issue.
“I was stunned,” said Dennis. “You don’t expect to look out of your window to see your garden full of water. We all wondered where it had come from.
“At first we thought it may have been caused by maintenance works being carried out, but after an investigation, it appeared to be due to a burst water pipe.”
Dennis added: “When Essex Water arrived, it began to recede. I couldn’t get to my shed because of the water, so I hope there won’t be much damage.”
An Essex Water spokesman said: “We have been working with Network Rail and works to resolve the issue should be completed by the end of the day (December 9).
Most Read
- 1 Council to inspect 'dangerous' space outside Upminster homes
- 2 Owner calls support for new Gidea Park pizzeria 'overwhelming'
- 3 Teen found guilty of robbing boy, 12, in Romford while carrying knife
- 4 3 Romford arrests in modern slavery, cannabis and money laundering probe
- 5 Hundreds oppose Harold Wood scheme to stop cars driving around schools at peak times
- 6 ‘Lawless’: Further issues raised with state and maintenance of Romford car park
- 7 The Mercury: What do sales of The Liberty and The Brewery mean for Romford's town centre?
- 8 Constable sped at 88mph on residential road without training, panel told
- 9 Appeal: Man left with broken jaw after Romford pub assault
- 10 How many Covid patients are in hospital in east London this week?
“The more than likely cause is due to the big drop in the temperature which causes a hairline crack to the pipes, triggering a leak.”
Residents warned alleyway users to take care because with the persistent cold weather, it could freeze the water, causing a dangerous hazard for pedestrians as well as children from surrounding schools Hall Mead and Coopers Coburn and Company.
The council said it will look into compensation for those affected by the flooding.