Thames Water repair update after Oxfordshire disruption

The UK’s largest water company has said today (Friday, June 5) that it has completed a repair just south of Didcot after an incident that forced Hagbourne Church of England Primary School to close yesterday (Thursday, June 4).

A spokesperson said: “Our teams have successfully completed the repair. We are now dealing with the final activities before putting the pipe back into normal service.”

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Only a few hours later, the company added: “We’re pleased to confirm that the repair to the burst pipe has now been successfully completed.

“Your water supply should now be restored. You may notice lower pressure initially but this will improve as it continues to build in the area.”

Thames Water added that water coming from taps may be discoloured at first (rusty, white or milky in colour), but that this is normal and residents should head to its website for further information.

Burst water pipe leaving Fulscot near Didcot in South Oxfordshire without water or a low water supply (Image: Thames Water)

The incident, which affected Fulscot, the OX11 postcode, was first communicated at 9.30am yesterday.

A repair crew identified a burst water pipe and worked to dig down to the damaged section to carry out the repair.

However, it proved a complex repair job, in part because of the “challenging ground conditions”.

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A spokesperson said: “Due to the location of the burst and the challenging ground conditions within the field, the excavation is taking longer than originally anticipated.”

While the repairs were going on, the company moved water around the network to maintain supplies to customers.

They added: “Thank you for your continued patience while our teams work to complete these repairs.”