Urgent appeal issued as NI Water deals with ‘279% rise in burst water mains’

The water company is reporting an increase of 279% in burst water mains – up 29% from yesterday (Thursday) – and monitoring systems are also recording a rapid rise in water use.

NI Water says resources are mobilised and an incident team has been formed to manage the situation as the weather changes and the anticipated thaw arrives.

It added: “We urgently need customers to check for bursts on their property; check your building over the weekend if it is going to be unoccupied; keep the name of an approved plumber handy to ensure any burst can be fixed as soon as possible.

“It is our priority to ensure customers do not experience an interruption to their water supply. Our teams are and will continue to work around the clock, in freezing conditions, to ensure any issues on our network are resolved as quickly as possible. This will continue into the weekend and next week as the thaw sets in.“If you spot a burst pipe while you are out and about, whether it’s a trickle of water or a gushing pipe, please let us know.

“You alerting us to this may help us get to it faster and therefore cause less disruption to customers. You can do this by visiting Report A Leak Or Burst Pipe - Northern Ireland Water (niwater.com) or using our webchat service online at Contact Us - Northern Ireland Water (niwater.com) or on Facebook and Twitter @niwnews. NI Water also has a dedicated Leakline number, 0800 028 2011, open 24 hours a day, every day. Calls are free of charge. If you spot a burst, we’ll find it and fix it.

“We would like to thank customers for their support during these extreme weather conditions.”

Thaw Advice

NI Water also issued this advice during the thaw:

If you are out of water, first check with your neighbours. If they have water, it is likely that the problem is with your internal pipework. Call a plumber to have the problem fixed.

If your neighbours are without water, it could be a burst watermain. Call Waterline on 03457 440088 to report the problem.

If you spot a leak or a burst pipe call Waterline so NI Water can fix the burst as soon as possible.

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NI Water is appealing to property owners, in particular, schools, farms, caravan parks, estate agents, landlords etc. to be extra vigilant, checking out buildings or properties that may have been closed.