Water main bursts in Thorpe Bay, flooding the road and some homes

If you have noticed low water pressure in Shoebury and Thorpe Bay this morning, it is due to a water main that burst in the area last night.

Essex & Suffolk Water have sent engineers to the scene of the leak, who are investigating it after multiple residents in the area reported issues when turning on their taps.

Roads affected included Elm Road, Avon Way, Saxon Gardens, West Road and Caulfield Road, amongst others.

Essex and Suffolk Water have now confirmed that their engineers will need to remove a wall to carry out the repair. However, they have managed to isolate the water main and prevent any more flooding.

A spokesperson for Essex & Suffolk Water said: “Our teams attended quickly and managed to isolate the water main, meaning that there was minimal impact to customer supplies.

“They continued to work throughout the night in order to carry out repairs, however, due to the location of the burst, the repair will require the removal of a wall in order to allow the work to be carried out safely, and two-way traffic lights are in place on Station Road.

“Repairs will carry on throughout the day, and we hope to get this fixed as quickly as possible. We would like to thank residents for their patience and would like to apologise for any inconvenience.”

The water company is part of Northumbrian Water, which is owned by CK Infrastructure Holdings, based in Hong Kong.

Northumbrian Water generated revenues of almost £850 million in the financial year which ended March 31, 2023. A year-on-year increase of +8.9%.

If you see a serious water leak in Southend or Essex, you can call the emergency leakline on 0800 526 337 to report it. This emergency helpline is available 24/7.