Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Burst Water Main Disrupts South London Schools and Homes
A large water pipe broke in south London and nearby Surrey.
This left many homes with no water or very low pressure.
Some schools had to close because they could not use their normal water supply.
The problem affected five London boroughs and two areas in Surrey.
Thames Water found the leak and sent a specialist team to repair it.
The company moved water around the broken section to help restore supplies.
People in Surbiton were expected to start getting water back, although the pressure might be low at first.
Some residents queued at shops for bottled water.
A local business offered water from its tank to elderly and vulnerable residents for washing and toilets.
A large burst water main disrupted supplies across five south London boroughs and two Surrey areas.
Affected locations included Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Wandsworth, Elmbridge and Spelthorne.
Long Ditton Infant and Nursery School and Thames Ditton Infant School closed because of the outage.
Thames Water located the leak, rerouted water and warned repairs could take some time.
Residents queued for bottled water, while a local business offered tank water to elderly and vulnerable people.
- Who
- Thames Water, affected residents, schools, local businesses and Councillor Steve Bax.
- What
- A burst water main disrupted water supplies, closed some schools and caused queues for bottled water.
- When
- The problem was reported on Monday 28; Thames Water was working on repairs that day.
- Where
- Parts of south London and Surrey, including Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Wandsworth, Elmbridge and Spelthorne.
- Why
- A large water main burst, and Thames Water said the location meant repairs could take some time.
- Affected London boroughs
- Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Wandsworth
- Affected Surrey areas
- Elmbridge and Spelthorne
- School closures
- Long Ditton Infant and Nursery School and Thames Ditton Infant School were among those affected
- Water restoration
- Thames Water located the leak, rerouted water and expected supplies to begin returning in Surbiton
- Repair outlook
- The company warned that repairs could take some time
- Community response
- Residents sought bottled water, while Wright Shine offered tank water to elderly and vulnerable people
- Thames Water explanation
- The company said prolonged dry weather, high demand and exceptionally dry ground conditions were increasing the likelihood of leaks and bursts