'˜Hosepipe ban? Fix street leak please...

People across the Fylde coast will soon be banned from using their hose pipes because of the hot weather '“ but residents on a Bispham street say gallons of water are being wasted due to a unfixed leak that's been going on for up to five months.
Leak near Runcorn AvenueLeak near Runcorn Avenue
Leak near Runcorn Avenue

Water could be seen coming out of a manhole cover on the corner of Runcorn Avenue and Brough Avenue.

Iain Thomson, a 44-year-old mental health nurse who lives on the street, said the problem had persisted for “four to five months”, despite residents’ calls to water company United Utilities.

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He said: “It’s ridiculous how much is coming out. They have done work around here on the pipes but they have just never fixed it. They looked at it about a month ago and never came back.

“They are telling us we can’t use our hoses but they are charging us the same amount and there’s aleak at the bottom of the road that’s absolutely pouring out.

“It’s running straight down the drain. If there wasn’t a drain there the road would be flooded. They are telling us we haven’t got enough water, so why are we letting hundreds of gallons go to waste?”

A United Utilities spokesman said: “A leak on the corner of Runcorn Avenue and Brough Avenue in Bispham has been inspected and scheduled for repair (today).

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“When a leak is reported it is inspected and scheduled for repair. Leaks that directly impact customer water supplies are prioritised.”

A spokesman added that it was a coincidence that the leak was scheduled to be fixed the day after The Gazette got in touch. He could not say when it was first reported.