After the big freeze... look out for the leaks

A burst water main

North West water bosses are gearing up this week to tackle the big thaw following the big freeze.

United Utilities has launched a special Leakline for people to report the increasing numbers of leaks and bursts that are expected to hit water pipework as temperatures rise.

When the ground thaws, after a prolonged period of cold weather, it can move – putting a lot of stress on the network of underground pipes. This can cause the pipes to leak or burst.

Stuart Atkinson, United Utilities' Regional Water Network Manager said: "It is not unusual to see the number of leaks and bursts increase when the temperature shifts after a prolonged cold snap.

"The public can really help us here by reporting any leaks they spot on the roads or pavements.

"Our operations centre is fully geared up, and we have specialist engineers and leak detection teams working all around the region. Since the extreme winters of recent years we've also invested in additional 4X4 vehicles, to make sure our engineers can get to more remote areas which are still snow bound."

The free Leakline number customers are being asked to use is 0800 33 00 33.

Stuart added: "We aim to get out and assess leaks straightaway and fix them the same day if they are causing damage or cutting off water supplies.

"For smaller leaks it can take a few days longer - we need to allow time to alert the highway authorities and warn local residents if our repairs will seriously affect traffic or mean we have shut off the water. Whatever the leak, we are always really grateful to people for taking the time to report it, and we'll fix it as soon as we can."

The United Utilities Leakline number is free to dial on 0800 33 00 33. Customers can also follow United Utilities on Twitter and report leaks at #leakspotter