Almost 1,000 homes still without water after ‘devastating’ floods

Nearly 1,000 people are without water in the North-West of England after storm Desmond battered the area at the weekend, causing “devastating” floods.

United Utilities (UU) said in an update on Monday evening that it is “continuing to work around the clock” to restore water supply to as many as 884 people in Cumbria and Lancashire.

The company was unable to comment on the latest figures when contacted on Tuesday morning, but will be issuing updates as they are available.

The company’s Bridge End water treatment works in Keswick was submerged by floodwater on Saturday and engineers yesterday began the process of restarting several pumps which are used to get supplies to homes and businesses.

In the meantime, giant water tankers are pumping drinking water directly into the pipe network in Keswick.

“While these efforts are so far proving successful in keeping the majority of customers on supply, around 150 properties on higher ground are without water,” UU said.

Bottled water deliveries were underway throughout yesterday to 177 properties without water in Borrowdale Valley. Engineers are working to repair a main but the firm has advised customers to boil water as supplies return.

In Patterdale and Glenridding 467 properties are without water because of an “issue” with the local pumping station which is currently “inaccessible”.

Water supplies were returned to all properties in Lancaster yesterday afternoon, but UU said around 90 customers may lose water supplies as a result of a further loss of electricity supplies.

Electricity North West (ENW) and UU worked alongside emergency service teams “around the clock” over the weekend following the storm, while the government convened an emergency Cobra meeting in a bid to restore power and water to affected communities.