"Tweet a leak" to Thames Water

Thames Water wants you to ‘tweet a leak’ to its Twitter profile @thameswater – giving location details and if  possible a picture - in a bid to help it tackle leakage this winter. 

The company is dealing with more than double the amount of bursts on its ageing 20,000-mile network of pipes due to the current freezing weather. At this time of year the company expects to receive 75 new reports of burst of leaking pipes a day but it is currently getting 185. 

Jerry White, Thames Water’s Head of Operational Control, said: “Our customers are our eyes and ears and we really need their help in the fight  against leakage this winter. 

“We have been communicating with customers via Twitter for some time now and recognise that it’s becoming a preferred route to contact us. 

“So when you tweeters are out and about and spot a leak or burst, please tweet it - pull out your smart phone and tell us what’s happening and where  so we can get on and fix it. 

"Meanwhile we urge our non-tweeting customers to continue calling our free 24-hour leakline on 0800 714614 to report leaks and bursts." 

More than double the number of leaks and bursts have more than doubled Thames Water engineers' workload. 

Jerry added: “We were prepared for this, having significantly increased the number of leakage crews working across our London and Thames Valley supply  region at the end of October - before it got cold rather than when. 

“Although this forward-planning has helped, we still really need our customers' help in the fight against leakage this winter - so please help  us by calling our leakline or tweeting a leak." 

Water pipes, especially the old cast iron ones, burst more when water in our reservoirs cools below 5 degrees C. When the cold water is pumped through our pipes, it makes them contract and where there are hairline weakness, they can break. 

Thames Water report that they cut leakage by 27 per cent between 2005 and 2010, but as we know Hammersmith and the parts of the Bush closes to the river have the highest concentration of basement flats in the capital and are also susceptible to flooding when it rains hard. So make a note of the new way of reporting and do use it if you can.

The company's witter profile address is www.twitter.com/ thameswater.