Thames Water: Tap water alarm in Bramley could last for weeks

Work to secure mains water in a Surrey village following a warning about a fuel leak at a petrol station could take up to four weeks, Thames Water said.

The company warned more than 600 households on Thursday of a “potential deterioration in the quality” of drinking water in Bramley after tests showed elevated hydrocarbon levels.

Thames Water said work was currently underway to flush the network and replace pipes.

Asda, which owns the petrol station site, said the problem was taken into account when it bought the site and it was determined to resolve it as quickly as possible.

Openreach said it was doing everything possible to reduce the increased likelihood of an explosion in the village as the leak had affected parts of the underground network.

Services for users in the region are also affected and it could take “many months” before the lines are safely accessible to technicians again, the network provider added.

Openreach said it was working with communications providers to offer alternative and temporary services to affected customers.

A Thames Water spokeswoman said: “We estimate that the work will take at least three to four weeks and will depend on the results of the sampling.”

BBC reporter Daniel Sexton said there was a “complete traffic gridlock” in the village on Saturday.

On Wednesday, Thames Water told residents that the main water pipes supplying St Catherine’s School would need to be replaced and that this would require “extensive traffic management”.

These included three-lane traffic lights and a road closure at the junction of Snowdenham Lane and Horsham Road.

The work is expected to take seven weeks and begin on May 28.

Complaints from villagers about the fuel leak date back to 2021, and residents asked if action could have been taken earlier.

Helen Melia, who has lived in Bramley for 20 years, told the BBC that petroleum bubbles and dead fish were reported in a stream last year.

She demanded that the data from the water tests be presented to residents and that the authorities and companies involved urgently develop a coordinated plan to “clean up the gasoline flowing beneath the village”.

She said, “If you weren’t allowed to drink the water on Thursday, why were you allowed to drink it on Wednesday?”

Local resident Simon Taylor said he reported finding petrol in his toilet to Thames Water in January.

After 616 households received ‘do not drink’ notices, Thames Water said: “The health and safety of our customers is our top priority and we want to reassure residents that this is a precautionary measure.”

Two water bottle stations are open daily from 9am (BST) to 9pm at Bramley Community Library and Artington Park & ​​Ride in Guildford.

Ryan Aust, who lives in Blunden Court behind the water station by the library, said some residents are unable to leave their homes to get supplies due to disabilities.

He explained that other residents were also unaware of the tap water warning because they were not on social media.

Residents were advised not to drink the tap water, not to give it to pets, and not to use it for cooking or preparing food or brushing teeth.

Thames Water has stated that even after boiling, tap water should not be used, but can be used for washing and flushing toilets.

The Wheatsheaf Pub and Hotel said that while it uses its dishwasher, it carries out a second cleaning cycle using boiled bottled water, which takes twice as long.

It was also said that more water bottles would have to be provided in the rooms so that visitors could brush their teeth.

Thames Water said bottled water had been delivered to needy customers in the area.

Asda said: “We continue to work closely with Thames Water and other partners to address the issues we inherited following our acquisition of the Bramley petrol station site.”

“We recognise the impact this has had on the residents of Bramley and share their frustration.

“We are committed to working with all parties to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.”