After the big freeze...the big thaw

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North West water bosses are now dealing with the big thaw following the big freeze.  
 
United Utilities is responding to unprecedented volumes of calls from customers and an increase in the number of leaks and bursts hitting pipework as temperatures have risen. Since Christmas Eve the company has taken 40,000 calls, ten times the usual amount.
 
When the ice melts after a prolonged period of very cold weather the ground can move – putting unusual amounts of stress on the network’s pipes. This can cause the pipes to leak or burst. Meanwhile, above ground, frozen pipework in customers' homes and businesses is beginning to thaw out, leading to bursts and leaks.
 
Scott Beard, United Utilities' Regional Water Network Manager said: "It is not unusual to see the number of bursts increase when the temperature shifts after a prolonged cold snap.
 
"We are fully geared up, with extra call takers, engineers and specialist leak detection teams all giving up their holidays and working round the clock. We have also brought in additional 4X4 vehicles, to make sure our engineers can get to more remote areas which are still snow bound.
  
"We are also asking the public to help us by checking on any empty properties where they hold the keys - such as business premises or neighbours' homes. We want to avoid leaks in locked up buildings causing water supply problems for neighbouring houses."

United Utilities is offering the following advice when checking on empty buildings: 

• Check whether there are any obvious signs of a burst pipe, and run a tap to check whether there are any frozen pipes.
• If there are any problems with the water supply, try to find the internal stop tap (usually under the kitchen sink) and turn it off. This will help minimise any water loss if pipes have frozen and cracked and are about to thaw out.  
• If you do find a problem on the property, please call a reputable plumber to assist.  
• Customers are being urged to report any leaks or bursts in the street on a dedicated freephone leak line - 0800 33 00 33.

Mr Beard added:  "While we can't help with bursts on internal pipework, we will do what we can to help fix customers outside private connection pipe to our water main free of charge, as long as our engineers can gain access to the pipe and its not running under a building.”