Water mix-up ends

Residents have been using a standpipe for days

The water is back on at an east London housing estate where confusion over who was sorting out the problem meant it took three days to get fixed.

Supplies were restored to residents of the Downs Estate in Hackney at about 2000 GMT on Saturday.

They had been relying on a standpipe since Wednesday.

Hackney Council says it had people on the estate within two hours of getting a call on Thursday - but realised they would need specialist equipment from Thames Water to fix it.

But Thames Water said it had advised Hackney Council's housing department that day it was "likely to be a problem with their stopcock" and were surprised to hear on Saturday they were expected at the site.

Residents described a game of "ping pong" in which Thames Water referred them to the council, while the council referred them back to Thames Water.

She said: "You use water for basically your whole life, to bathe, to use the bathroom, to boil a cup of tea Resident Tina Parchment

Supplies were restored after work to dig beneath the flats to get to a leaking pipe was carried out.

"It's been a huge job. It's been really difficult," said a Hackney Council spokeswoman on Saturday.

"Part of the problem is it is such a specialist job we need special equipment and it is quite hard to get hold of. It is our responsibility but we can't physically do it without Thames Water."

Tina Parchment, who has lived on the estate for six years, said days without water made her appreciate how she took it for granted.

She said: "You use water for basically your whole life, to bathe, to use the bathroom, to boil a cup of tea.

"We have had to go and get buckets of water just to get tea.

"Now the heating's off because it is run by water so you are left in a cold flat."