News

Following on from a week of extremely cold weather, Severn Trent is encouraging customers to keep an eye out for any leaks that might have been caused by frozen pipes. 

Steve Witter, head of customer leakage operations at Severn Trent, explains more: “Colder weather can cause huge problems for water pipes, leading to an increase in bursts and flooding. When water freezes within a pipe it expands, often causing pipes to split or joints to pull apart. 

“While private bursts and leaks in customer’s homes are quite common following freezing weather, a lot are also often found in business premises or places that are only visited occasionally, such as village halls and sports pavilions. And with many of these currently closed due to the pandemic, it is as important as ever to make sure that they are being checked regularly. If you do spot an issue on your property call a plumber – preferably a WaterSafe plumber who is approved and qualified.” 

As well as constantly monitoring the 46,000km network of pipes to check for any changes that might indicate a leak, the company also uses a range of technology including drones, satellites and acoustic loggers to detect and pinpoint leaks. This helps the company to find and fix leaks faster than ever before, however they still need the public to help by reporting any leaks they notice.

Steve added: “Equally, if you notice water coming out of the road or pavement, it might be a leak. We really want people to report these to us by calling our Leakline number on 0800 783 4444 or using our online form at stwater.co.uk/reportaleak. Providing our customers with a continuous supply of wonderful water is a priority for us so the sooner we find the leaks, the sooner we can fix them.”

More information on what to do if you have a burst pipe on your property can be found on https://www.stwater.co.uk/wonderful-on-tap/avoid-a-water-meltdown-this-winter/what-to-do-in-an-emergency/.