23 November 2009
Update Tuesday evening
No significant updates
Updated Monday evening
United Utilities' engineers are continuing to work alongside the emergency services, the Environment Agency and other partner organisations in response to the major flooding incident in Cumbria.
A spokesperson for United Utilities said: "Our engineers are working tirelessly to restore and secure utility services and have made good progress in often difficult conditions. Gas and water supplies are working normally and more than 200 electricity supplies have been restored since this morning. The majority of properties still without power are those affected directly by flood waters.
"We will continue to monitor our networks closely throughout the night as more rain is predicted.
"We would reiterate the advice being given by the health services to people returning to clean up at flooded properties. Floodwater is dirty as it contains a mixture of rainwater and dilute sewage. People should make sure that they wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly after they have been handling flood-damaged property."
Water services in Cumbria are currently affected in the following way:
Water
The tap water remains safe to drink in all flood hit areas, and there are currently no properties affected by water loss. If anyone does experience problems with water supply they should let us know by calling 0845 746 2200.
People returning to flooded properties should take care if floodwaters have risen so high that taps have been under water.
Customers who believe they have been affected in this way should:
- Thoroughly clean the taps before returning to normal use
- This should be supplemented by wiping with a bleach soaked cloth, ideally using Q-tips or similar swabs also dipped in bleach solution to reach up into the inner surface of the tap outlet
- The tap should then be run to waste for two minutes.
Wastewater
We have had 24 reported instances of diluted wastewater from the sewer network entering properties. Most of these homes have now been visited by our clean-up teams and we are continuing to assist in any way we can.
Customers directly affected by sewer flooding can call our 24-hour number, 0845 746 22 00, and a clean-up team will attend.
A major operation to inspect wastewater treatment works and pumping stations across the flood hit areas is now underway.
Update Monday 11.30am
Our engineers are continuing to work alongside the emergency services, the Environment Agency and other partner organisations in response to the major flooding incident in Cumbria.
A spokesperson from United Utilities said: "Our engineers have been working hard throughout the weekend across flood hit parts of Cumbria to restore utility services and repair damaged equipment. Very good progress is being made. There are currently no customers without water or gas supplies, and electricity has been restored to nearly 90 per cent of properties that were without power. We will continue to do everything possible to support our customers throughout this challenging time.
"We would reiterate the advice being given by the health services to people returning to clean up at flooded properties. Floodwater is dirty as it contains a mixture of rainwater and dilute sewage. People should make sure that they wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly after they have been handling flood-damaged property."
Water services in Cumbria are currently affected in the following way:
Water
The tap water remains safe to drink in all flood hit areas, and there are currently no properties affected by water loss. If anyone does experience problems with water supply they should let us know by calling 0845 746 2200.
People returning to flooded properties should take care if floodwaters have risen so high that taps have been under water.
Customers who believe they have been affected in this way should:
- Thoroughly clean the taps before returning to normal use
- This should be supplemented by wiping with a bleach soaked cloth, ideally using Q-tips or similar also dipped in bleach solution to reach up into the inner surface of the tap outlet
- The tap should then be run for two minutes.
Wastewater
We have 24 reported instances of diluted wastewater from the sewer network entering properties. Most of these homes have now been visited by our clean-up teams and we are continuing to assist in any way we can.
Customers directly affected by sewer flooding can call our 24-hour number, 0845 746 2200, and a clean-up team will attend.
A major operation to inspect wastewater treatment works and pumping stations across the flood hit areas is now underway.
Update Sunday 9pm
Our engineers are continuing to work alongside the emergency services, the Environment Agency and other partner organisations in response to the major flooding incident in Cumbria. A spokesperson from United Utilities said: "Our engineers are working hard across flood hit parts of Cumbria to restore utility services and repair damaged equipment. Good progress is being made. There are currently no customers without water or gas supplies, and electricity has been restored to 85 per cent of properties that were without power. We will continue to do everything possible to support our customers throughout this challenging time."
Utility services in Cumbria are currently affected in the following way:
Water
The tap water remains safe to drink in all flood hit areas, and there are currently no properties affected by water loss. Supply was restored to around 20 customers in Rogerscale near Lorton earlier today (Sunday).
Customers suffering from water loss can call our 24 hour call centre: 0845 746 22 00.
Wastewater network
We have had 24 reported instances of diluted wastewater from the sewer network entering properties. Most of these homes have now been visited by our clean-up teams.
Customers directly affected by sewer flooding can call our 24-hour number, 0845 746 22 00, and a clean-up team will attend.
A major operation to inspect wastewater treatment works and pumping stations across the flood hit areas is now underway.
Update Sunday 3pm
We have launched our biggest ever recovery operation of water and wastewater treatment works across Cumbria today, mobilising hundreds of engineers to check plants and machinery for damage from debris from the floods in the worst affected areas of the county: Cockermouth, Workington, Keswick and Kendal.
A team of our structural engineers are offering support to Cumbrian Highways engineers and the Army to inspect the safety of 1,800 bridges in Cumbria.
Water
Tap water across Cumbria remains safe to drink in all flood-hit areas.
Rogerscale, Lorton: Water supplies were fully restored at 10:30am on Sunday 22nd November, following a bridge collapse which damaged a 10" water main on Friday 20th.
We have put contingency plans in place to maintain water services following reports that the Calva Bridge in Workington is likely to collapse. Water engineers have re-distributed supplies from one part of the network to another to ensure nearby homes will continue to have drinking water.
There are no other reported problems with the clean water network in Cumbria.
Customers suffering from water loss can call our 24-hour call centre on 0845 746 22 00.
Wastewater
Our primary focus is on vital installations including two pumping stations in Keswick and Cockermouth and two wastewater treatment sites in Carlisle and Ambleside.
We will be carrying out inspections to 100 wastewater treatment sites and 245 pumping stations across Cumbria over the coming days. Inspections are already ongoing at three of Cumbria's largest wastewater treatment sites in Cockermouth, Ambleside and Carlisle. Our main concern is to get sewerage flows pumping back to the treatment sites - ready for when residents start returning to their homes and businesses - and work will continue around the clock to achieve this. 207 other sewer-pumping stations across Cumbria are operational now in the wake of the flooding.
Of the 24 reported instances of diluted wastewater flooding to households, 18 received a visit from our clean-up teams and the remaining six will receive a visit later today. Clean-up crews will attend site on Monday 23rd to 10 low-lying properties flooded near Willowholme, Carlisle.
Customers affected by internal sewer flooding can call our 24-hour number on 0845 746 22 00 for assistance
Saturday at 9pm - A spokesperson from United Utilities said: "Our engineers are continuing to work alongside the emergency services, the Environment Agency and other organisations in response to the major flooding incident in Cumbria. We have hundreds of staff in the area who are doing everything possible to support our customers at this challenging time."
Utility services in Cumbria are currently affected in the following way:
Water
The tap water remains safe to drink in all flood hit areas.
Around 20 customers at Rogerscale near Lorton have lost water supply, due to a bridge collapse earlier today which damaged a 10" water main. We have now set up an overland water pipe to these properties, and supply is gradually being restored.
Customers suffering from water loss can call our 24 hour call centre: 0845 746 22 00.
Electricity:
United Utilities carries out the day-to-day running of the electricity network on behalf of Electricity North West (ENW).
We have managed to restore supply to the vast majority of customers who have suffered power loss over the past three days - caused by submerged substations or damaged overhead power lines. Many of the properties still without supply are empty and currently uninhabitable, and restoration of supply is likely to take several days. Customers can report power loss on our 24 hour number: 0800 195 41 41.
Properties without supply are in the following areas:
- Cockermouth: 522 properties without electricity, due to flooded substations. A further 650 properties have been turned off at the request of the emergency services, in order to safeguard rescue workers. These properties will remain off supply until the flood waters recede.
- Keswick: 144 properties without electricity, down from 347 properties earlier today. All 144 properties have suffered internal flooding.
- Windermere: 55 properties off supply, all of which have been affected by internal flooding and are empty.
- Buttermere, Stainburn, Thornthwaite, Northside and Camerton: a handful of properties in each of these areas are off supply, the majority of which are empty.
Wastewater network
We have had more than 20 reported instances of diluted wastewater from the sewer network entering properties. We expect these problems to continue, as the flood waters drain away, and the sewers continue to fill up. Customers affected by internal flooding can call our 24-hour number: 0845 746 22 00, and a clean-up team will attend.
Gas supplies
United Utilities handles the day-to-day maintenance of the gas network on behalf of Northern Gas Networks (NGN).
There are currently no reported gas problems in flood affected areas.
For the latest weather reports, please see the Met Office website, http://www.metoffice.gov.uk which also has breaking updates on the weather warnings.