South West Water leave hole outside Plymouth home for four days
A FURIOUS resident has slammed South West Water for leaving a gaping hole outside her home for four days.
Jo Curtis, from Coxside, said it was "beyond unacceptable" in an area where many elderly and disabled residents live.
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Jo Curtis beside the hole
The hole was dug on Monday to repair a leak in a rear courtyard area of Teats Hill Flats and left uncovered.
The situation – reminiscent of lyrics 'You can't put a hole where a hole don't belong' in the Bernard Cribbins' song Hole in the Ground – led Ms Curtis to call the company on Tuesday. She was told that it would be dealt with within the next working day.
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Ms Curtis said: "I explained that we have many vulnerable, elderly and disabled people on this estate, and asked why they could not cover it with thick wooden boards until it was repaired as the unfilled, uncovered hole was dangerous.
"Again, I was told that it would be dealt with within the next working day.
"I feel that the service I received from SWW was beyond unacceptable – it should have been criminal for them to be able to leave the hole like that.
"I'm sure that if the hole had been on a street pavement they wouldn't have been able to get away with it."
It was finally covered on Thursday, after The Herald contacted South West Water (SWW).
Ms Curtis said that, to add insult to injury, while the leak was being dealt with the estate's water had been turned off without warning.
"SWW have said that this was an emergency shut-off," she said.
"My argument is that the leak has been ongoing since at least last Thursday, so I felt that this had given them plenty of time to have rung one intercom in each of the eight blocks, warning us that we were about to lose our water supply for a couple of hours and asking us to make sure that our neighbours were aware."
A spokesman for SWW told The Herald: "The leak was reported to us on Friday and an inspector went to investigate the problem. Our contractor arrived on site on Monday to repair the burst main.
"The water supply was turned off between 2pm and 3.55pm and this affected 50 customers. It appears that due to a miscommunication, the customers were not informed that this would happen, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.
"Covering the hole was not a lawful option, but barriers were placed around the site to make it as safe as possible during the work."
Comments
by bikerlad
Monday, October 01 2012, 5:58AM
“just some one who likes to moan , they did mend the leak dint they .
so stop moaning & get a life ? maybe they should have put an advert in this is plymouth telling . everyone in plymouth theres a hole in the pavement ,
they just have !!”
by TheMercenary
Sunday, September 30 2012, 1:30PM
“Re previous post. Should have read - Mine would be:- "Got any paper?"”
by TheMercenary
Sunday, September 30 2012, 1:27PM
“How about using the picture as a cartoon and adding a caption?
Mine you be:- "Got any paper?"”
by MissAnthrope
Sunday, September 30 2012, 1:02PM
“There seems to be a misconception here, as a hole itself cannot cause injury. It is whatever lies at the bottom of the hole that would cause injury, likely due to high velocity impact, should someone happen upon the hole unexpectely and fall in. If I climb onto the top of my bookshelf and jump off it would likely be impact with my stripped floorboards that would cause injury not the gap between the bookshelves and the floor which I consider to be harmless. I certainly have not intention of filling in my living room, that would be rediculous.”
by roastchicken
Sunday, September 30 2012, 8:24AM
“what are you on about,have a go at the little person !!!
the little person an't so little if you see here,and shes the one digging up the dirt,!!!!”
by Winstonsmith0
Sunday, September 30 2012, 7:43AM
“It's good to see so many contributors always ready to have a go at the little person.
Perhaps what has now become clear, thanks to witness statements that there were barriers, is that someone moved the barriers. Was it the Herald photographer - hoping to make more of a story out of this hole? Was it Ms Curtis - clearly frustrated by the presence of the hole.
Either way, the veracity of this story and of the picture has been brought into serious question and the argument that SWW did wrong has been undermined and weakened. Someone has dug themselves a hole if HSE get hold of this now. If it were Herald; they should know better.”
by Nevman
Sunday, September 30 2012, 7:09AM
“Walk around it.”
by sufc_blues
Saturday, September 29 2012, 8:38PM
“quit your moaning woman there's plenty other things going on in the world to worry about”
by roastchicken
Saturday, September 29 2012, 8:01PM
“Barriers and cones were left around the site in a safe and proper maner,some people have to much time on there hands and spend there time worrying about what other people are doing.Well done to the guys who fixed the leak,”
by Gingerpafc1
Saturday, September 29 2012, 6:50PM
“I live down there and there was barreirs round it ,I'm also in the utlitles business ,she's opened the Barrie's and she's on sight with no cscs card and no water hygiene card and now safely hat etc ! She's always moaning ! Let them do there work he leak got worst because of waiting to give out notice your be out of water for longer ! Also SSW pay for street works they can do what they want !”