Burst pipe floods Formby bypass – thousands of homes without water

Thousands of homes in Ainsdale, Freshfield and Formby are without water today after a burst pipe flooded the Formby Bypass.

United Utilities said: “Our engineers have attended to a report of damage to the water network, which is affecting customers in the L37 area. We’ve now turned off your water supply to prevent any more water being wasted and to allow us to repair the pipe.

“We’re sorry for the inconvenience and hope to have your taps flowing again soon.

“When water starts flowing again, it can occasionally be a different colour for a couple of reasons.

“You can clear the problem, by running the cold water tap that’s closest to your internal stop tap, just above a trickle.

“This may take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, why not collect this water and use it to water your plants? If you’re on a meter, don’t worry, that’s less than five pence.

“While your water is discoloured, we advise that you do not run the hot water tap, use dishwashers, washing machines, or any other appliances which uses your hot water supply.”