Residents of the Scovell Estate in Borough, Southwark, have been without hot water and heating for nearly a month due to an underground leak in the heating pipework. The outage, which began around September 18, has affected dozens of households, including those with elderly, pregnant, or disabled residents.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), residents have been relying on kettle-boiled water to wash, taking showers at work or at friends' and family members' homes, and some have visited The Castle Leisure Centre in Elephant and Castle to use public shower facilities.
Repairs Expected to Complete Today
Cllr Reginald Popoola, Southwark Council's Executive Member for Council Homes, stated that work on the underground leak affecting the remaining 42 homes is expected to be completed by the end of today (October 14), depending on any "unforeseen issues."
Cllr Popoola said: "We apologise to residents affected by the disruption and recognise the significant inconvenience it is has caused. Heating and hot water is now back for the majority of the estate. We will continue to support affected residents and keep them updated on the progress. Once repairs are complete, we will provide information about compensation for residents impacted."
Residents' Health and Safety Concerns
Zara Rowley, a heavily pregnant resident who has since given birth, expressed fears about bringing her newborn home. She told the LDRS: "What's going to happen? I've got a baby on the way. She's due this week or next week. I'm having a baby in Southend-on-Sea where my mum and dad are and I'm actually quite glad I'm doing that now, because it's just not that, but I'm afraid to come home now."
Tony Christofi, a resident with a heart problem, rheumatoid arthritis, and trapped nerves in his spine, said it would be "impossible" for him to wash at the leisure centre due to his health conditions. He said: "I struggle to walk and I get breathless very easily. I get breathless walking from [the living room] to the door, so there's no way I can get to Elephant and Castle to have a shower. And it's cold now, I don't want to go out in the cold. You can't park anywhere around there, I'm not paying for cabs every day to go and have a shower. Some people want their privacy, they don't want to be showering with other people."
Temporary Installations and Communication Issues
The council is installing hot water cylinders and immersion heaters into homes of residents who require them. However, Nely Gonzalez expressed concerns about the temporary solution. She told the LDRS: "I am particularly concerned about the proposed installation inside my home, involving electrical cabling from the fuse box downstairs to the hot water cylinder upstairs. I do not believe residents should have to accept intrusive temporary installations in their homes simply because the proper works have not been completed."
Trina Jackson, a mum of two with a history of health problems, said the council's lack of communication has been "distressing." She said: "The council has reportedly said that text messages have been sent and staff have knocked on doors, yet I have received no such messages or visits. Updates have been vague, with no clear resolution date, there appears to be very little visible work taking place, which adds to residents' anxiety and creates the impression that insufficient urgency is being given to the problem."
Financial Burden and Asbestos Concerns
Residents have reported increased electricity bills due to boiling water and using oil heaters. Ms Gonzalez said: "People should not be put in a position where they have to choose between having hot water and accepting a potentially much higher electricity bill. We need a proper, safe and permanent solution. Residents should not be left to carry the financial and practical consequences of delays in works that need to be dealt with by the council."
Additionally, residents were concerned after asbestos was previously found around sections of the underground pipework. The LDRS understands a recent investigation found no asbestos at the suspected leak location, but an anonymous resident expressed worries about water safety. Kelly Deller, another resident, said she wants to hold back her £29 weekly service charge due to the outage, stating: "Everything is costing more and more money, especially at a time when everything has gone up. We're having to plug in like little heaters to get warm, and that's making people doubt when it's going to be fixed."
The council has confirmed it will process outage compensation for affected residents once repairs are complete and services are restored. Cllr Popoola has advised residents to contact engineeringheating@southwark.gov.uk for questions.
