A burst main, a pipe hole reportedly two metres big, and a residential street. You probably get the picture, but here’s an estimate of the subsequent flooding on Leabrook Road North in Wednesbury last week: enough water to fill six Olympic-sized pools, according to Birmingham Live.
The pipe has since been repaired by South Staffordshire Water following the incident on Thursday, but a first responder says a lot remains to be done.
“The clear-up operation could take weeks, if not months, in terms of some of the properties because they will need to dry out,” the report quoted West Midlands Fire Service incident commander Steve Vincent as saying, after flood levels reached as high as three metres – submerging cars and cutting water supply for a couple of hours.
Meanwhile South Staffordshire Water, also known as South Staffs Water, has advised affected residents to get in touch with their insurance providers.
“If you have a query regarding an insurance claim, in the first instance, please contact your own insurer,” the water company was quoted as saying in a statement following the pipe repair.
According to the BBC, the pipe damage was caused by a mechanical digger being operated by a Western Power Distribution worker. An incident probe by the electric company is underway.
