A resident of a road plagued by a three-week water leak has labelled a hosepipe ban enforced today as “laughable”.
Georgina Gonyou says she has reported the issue in Belmont Road, Faversham, to South East Water three times since she first noticed it.
Today, the company brought in a hosepipe ban for its customers in Kent and Sussex.
It says demand has been 105 million litres above average for this time of year.
But in Belmont Road, water has been left gushing down the street and has worn holes in the tarmac.
Mrs Gonyou, 55, told KentOnline: “I was quite cross when I saw it.
“It’s just laughable when there are leaks everywhere.
“I do my best. We use our bath water for our garden, we try and save water wherever we can, and try to be as vigilant about using it as we possibly can, and it’s just peeing out at the road there. It’s not on.
“I want them to come out and fix it straight away.
“We deem it urgent.
“My concern is it’s just going to turn into a great big sinkhole.”
The ban means anyone caught using their hose, except for some exceptions, could face court and a fine of up to £1000.
After first noticing the leak more than three weeks ago, Mrs Gonyou says she has reported it three times to no avail.
Other locals have also flagged the issue, and while workers have come and drawn on the road, it has not yet been fixed.
South East Water’s head of water supply, Nick Bell, said: “We’re sorry to customers in the Belmont Road area of Faversham for the water lost due to a leak.
“We understand it is frustrating to see water being lost in this way, especially when we’re announcing a Temporary Use Ban, but please be assured fixing leaks is a top priority of ours.
“Due to the location of this leak, we need to work with the local authorities to plan the least disruptive way we can complete the repairs while keeping the public and our staff safe.
“This can sometimes take time, especially if other utilities are working in the area.
“The repair for this particular leak is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, as long as a bigger emergency such as a burst main doesn’t take priority.
“We thank you for your patience while we undertake these repairs.”
On imposing the new restrictions today, the water provider said demand is the highest ever seen for this time of year, reaching 680 million litres on June 30.
It said it has tried “everything possible” to try to avoid the ban, but reservoir and underground water storage levels are “really low”.
