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22

Aug 2022

Last Updated: 25/08/2022
Environment
Environment

Yorkshire Water giving out free bottled water at Ripon's Market Place

by Calvin Robinson, Thomas Barrett

| 22 Aug, 2022
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The Ripon area has been hit by a water outage for the second time in a week as a street is flooded. Some parts of Harrogate are also without water. Follow our blog for updates.

northstreet2

People in the Ripon area have woken up to a water outage for the second time in a week.

North Road in Ripon is flooded, with pictures of it on Blow Your Horn Facebook page prompting comments by people in Ripon, Melmerby, Dishforth and Sharow they have no water.

Ripon and surrounding villages were hit by an outage last Thursday after a pipe burst on North Street.

In Harrogate, a burst main in Otley Road has cut water to some homes in HG2.

Follow our live coverage below.




5.45pm - Engineers 'recharging the system'


The Stray Ferret asked a Yorkshire Water spokesperson if the burst main could leave some households without water into tomorrow.

He was unable to give any timescales but said engineers are working to 'recharge the system' which should restore the water supply. However, he said this needs to be done carefully to manage water pressure.

The spokesperson said he expects water will be 'back on soon'.

5.20pm - Still no water for parts of Ripon


There is still no water for some properties in Ripon following this morning's burst water main on North Street.

Yorkshire Water has arranged a bottled water station in Market Place, where anyone is free to come and collect bottles of water.

2.00pm - Yorkshire Water pumping water into Ripon network


Yorkshire Water is currently pumping water into its network via tankers. It's so the city centre remains with water whilst engineers work to fix the burst main. No time has been given for when water will return back to normal.

The company is also looking for somewhere in the city for customers to collect bottles of water.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said:

“We are on-site fixing the issue and working hard to restore water supply as soon as possible.
“Our teams are delivering bottled water to customers on our priority service register, additional vulnerable customers and care homes. We’re also working with our partners to deliver bottled water to rural communities and set up a bottled water collection point for customers in Ripon. We will update as soon as we have a location for that.
“We've also put measures in place - such as tankering into our network - to make sure we can restore supply to as many customers as possible, as quickly as possible.”


12.05pm - Water restored in Harrogate, but Ripon awaiting a fix


A Yorkshire Water spokesperson has said the burst water main in Otley Road, Harrogate has now been fixed with customers back to their normal supply.

However, in Ripon engineers are still working to fix the burst pipe on North Street. It happened because last week's burst, also on North Street, weakened another part of the pipe today causing it to burst.

Bottled water is being delivered to vulnerable customers and a bottled water station will be set up soon.

"Last week there was a burst on a 12-inch main on North Street, Ripon – we fixed the issue on the same day, but unfortunately it weakened another area of the pipe, which burst this morning. The new burst is around 20m away from the original burst.
“We’re on site working on the fix this morning – with temporary traffic lights and the same diversion still in place. We’re currently delivering bottled water to vulnerable customers, care homes and those on our priority services register. We will be setting up a bottled water station for other customers shortly."






10.05am - Works on Otley Road


This is the current scene on Otley Road near to the junction with Pannal Ash Road where work is being carried out to restore water in the HG2 area.






9.55am - Ripon residents pitch in to prevent flooding




A group of residents of North Road whose houses are beyond the clock tower junction when heading out of the city, ensured that their gardens and those of neighbours across the road, were not flooded for long, as they worked to unblock drains full of straw debris and fallen leaves. 

Barry Dolan (pictured) said: 

"The reason that the gardens were flooded by the water from the burst main, was because of the blocked drains (see photo) that get jammed up with straw that comes off passing trailers whose loads get caught by overhanging branches.
"When we woke to see what had happened a number of us joined in to clear the blockages and the water subsided."




Mr Dolan added: 

"Because the drains are not cleared out regularly, we also get flooding along this section when there is heavy rain."






9.45am - Ripon retirement apartment manager hopes water can be restored quickly




For the second time in four days, Yvonne Mulholland, the manager of McCarthy and Stone's Dawson Grange retirement apartments on North Street (pictured) had to call Yorkshire Water for an emergency supply of bottled water. 

She told the Stray Ferret:

“We have residents in 28 apartments, some of whom are vulnerable and needing to keep hydrated. 
“Yorkshire Water were very good last week and supplied us with 40 bottles to give to residents and I have spoken with them again this morning. 
“With the burst main immediately outside our premises, I just hope that the problem can be sorted out quickly and with the minimum of disruption to our residents and neighbours."






9.40am - Temporary lights on Pannal Ash Road


Temporary lights have been put in place between the junction of Pannal Ash Road and Pannal Ash Drive.

Yorkshire Water said this morning that technicians were on site to carry out repairs and return water to residents.




8.45am - Water could be off for up to six hours


Yorkshire Water is reporting on its social media that water in Ripon could be off for between four to six hours.

The company added that it will "aim to get the water back as soon as possible".

https://twitter.com/YWHelp/status/1561596914608619521?s=20&t=a4N3hfvun0oDwQWv6NjV-g




8.20am - Technicians on Otely Road


Yorkshire Water has confirmed that technicians are on site at Otley Road to try and get water back on for residents.

https://twitter.com/YorkshireWater/status/1561608712887930880?s=20&t=RJa7hFCYZHV6nTLeUeZ1tQ




8.10am - Pictures from North Street


This is the current scene at North Street in Ripon, where a burst pipe is causing a water outage for residents in the area.








7.55am - Yorkshire Water confirms burst pipe


Yorkshire Water has tweeted this morning to say a burst pipe on North Street is causing the outage in Ripon.

https://twitter.com/YWHelp/status/1561564731520999425?s=20&t=trfrYSF8UzsLKFTUDXDr9w




7.52am - Ripon resident: 'This is ridiculous'


One resident in Ripon has got in touch with the Stray Ferret to report the outage.

They said:

"The burst water main in North Street has gone again, this morning it’s flooding the road again. We live on a residential park on Palace Road and had no information the first time.
"This is ridiculous, how are pensioners supposed to carry four litres of water to their homes."






7.48am - Bishop of Ripon reports outage


The Bishop of Ripon, Helen-Ann Hartley, tweeted to Yorkshire Water:

“No water in Ripon again. Any idea how long this time? Will more bottled water and information be forthcoming, especially to outlying villages please?"






7.45am - Reports of water outage


Reports have come in from Harrogate and Ripon of a water outage and low pressure in the areas.

Yorkshire Water said on its website:

“Customers may have no water or low pressure due to a burst main. We are working to restore supplies back to normal as soon as possible.”


In Harrogate, a burst main n Otley Road has cut water to some homes in HG2.

One person affected received the following response from Yorkshire Water:

"Our technicians are on site dealing with the repair, however it could be 4-6 hours before the water comes back on and when it does it may be a little cloudy and discoloured."