Burst main sends water gushing 30ft into the air in Kent
Watch as burst water main sends water towering into the air.
Gallons of water have been leaping into the air after a water main burst in Broadstairs, Kent.
Footage, captured by resident Claire Philpott just after 10am on Wednesday (28 June), shows a 30ft jet of water shooting over houses in Victoria Parade.
Southern Water confirmed the leak was caused by part of the main that required replacing and has apologised for the disruption.
Engineers resolved the issue before 1pm.
A spokesperson for Southern Water said: “Tackling leaks and bursts is a major priority for us, last year we repaired 20,000 leaks alone. We aim to complete the majority of visible leaks within the same day or next working day.
“However, we’re keen to go further to reduce the amount of water lost from our network. This is why we have set the ambitious target of halving leakage by 2050 and we are on track to reduce leakage by 15 per cent by 2025.”
Much of Kent and Sussex is under water restrictions at the moment.
Demand has reached 'record levels' according to South East Water, leaving it with 'no choice' but to restrict the use of hosepipes.
David Hinton, Chief Executive Officer, South East Water, said: “This situation has developed much more rapidly than last year.
"The temporary restrictions, will be enforced from 26 June. This will mean that customers will be prevented from using hosepipes for watering their gardens, washing cars, patios and boats and from filling swimming and paddling pools.
“I would like to thank everyone who has already taken steps to try and reduce their overall water use.”