WATER JOKE...NOW TAPS HAVE RUN DRY
Chaos as big thaw bursts pipes
THOUSANDS of families were left without water after pipes burst in the big thaw.
Bottled water stations were set up across the country as engineers raced to fix the problems.
And water companies pleaded with customers to “take short showers ® rather than baths, and only run washing machines and dishwashers when you have a full load”.
Emergency supply stations were set up in Streatham in south London, Rotherfield, Wadhurst and Crowborough in East Sussex, and Lenham in Kent. Similar problems were also reported in Staffordshire and other parts of the Midlands.
In a joint statement, Thames Water, Affinity Water, South East Water and Southern Water said: “Where possible, take short showers rather than baths.
“Do not leave taps running unnecessarily and only run washing machines and dishwashers when you have a full load. This will make a real difference.”
Some schools were unable to open yesterday, while a burst pipe at a timber firm in Sussex caused thousands of pounds of damage.
Meanwhile, the military helped deliver emergency food and fuel supplies to parts of Cumbria which were left isolated by the heavy snowfall.
Warnings
In London yesterday temperatures rose to 11C but warnings for snow and ice were still in place for parts of north England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Meteorologist Martin Bowles said a rapid rise in temperature is not unusual after a cold spell.
He said: “It will go up by five or 10 degrees in one or two days.”
In the Highlands, billions of midges have frozen to death as they hibernate.
That could mean a respite for walkers this summer, when the midge population in the region usually rises to an estimated 21billion.