Hundreds left without water in Kings Heath after pipe bursts

Apr 22 2010 by Rebekah Oruye, Birmingham Mail

UP to 18,000 homes and seven schools were left without water for almost three hours after a pipe burst in Kings Heath.

Hundreds of residents called Severn Trent to complain about the water shortage in their homes.

Engineers were called to investigate the cause of the ruptured 12-inch mains pipe in Dads Lane yesterday morning.

The sudden water cut forced Birmingham City Council to close seven of its schools in the area as a precautionary measure.

A council spokesman said the schools were closed “due to health and safety implications of being without water”.

The Kings Heath schools closed by the burst pipe were:

* St Dunstan’s Catholic Primary.

*  Uffculme School.

*  Bishop Challoner Catholic College.

*  Kings Heath Primary.

*  Moseley CE Primary School.

*  Colmore Infant and Nursery School.

*  Colmore Junior.

Kings Heath Neighbourhood Office and Kings Heath Community Centre were also left without mains water.

And a nearby factory was flooded because of the burst pipe.

Rush-hour traffic was also affected in Kings Heath as scores of drivers slowed down to avoid the spread of water.

A spokesman for Severn Trent said they had received around 700 calls from customers with no cold water, but that potentially 18,000 homes in Kings Heath may have suffered some form of water shortage or loss of pressure.

“A team of engineers isolated the leak and have re-zoned water into the area through another network of pipes.

“Work is ongoing to carry out the repairs to the pipe, but this will not affect our customers in anyway.

“The burst pipe was believed to be caused by third party contractors conducting work in Dads Lane.”

All affected properties had their water supply restored by yesterday lunchtime.

A city council spokesman confirmed all seven schools that were closed yesterday, were expected to reopen today.