Two weeks after a temporary usage ban was announced across Essex & Suffolk Water’s operational areas, the company has been battling a record number of leaks.
The water company, which has the lowest levels of leakage in the country, has had additional teams out finding and fixing leaks and bursts since the restrictions came into force on Monday 3 August.
So far this year, teams have repaired more than 4,150 leaks and bursts across Essex and Suffolk and the company is investing £66 million between 2025 and 2030 to strengthen the resilience of its networks.
During July and August, there have been five consecutive heatwaves, and temperatures have soared to highs of 36 degrees in some parts of East Anglia.
With a lack of rain for several months, the ground dries out and results in significant ground movement, which means that additional pressure is put on underground pipework. Because of this, joints and fittings can become loose, and pipes can crack.
This is not just something that has been seen in Essex and Suffolk - but the clay soil in parts of the region is particularly susceptible.
Teams from across Essex & Suffolk Water are working round the clock to find, prioritise and fix leaks following the introduction of the temporary use ban.
Behind the scenes, dedicated leakage analysts continually monitor network data, including changes in flows and pressures, to identify areas where water may be escaping underground, unseen at the surface.
At other times, teams inside the Regional Control Centre monitor the network as a whole using technology like sensors and will notice a change in trends to water demand – showing that there is an unexpected increase in water flows within a certain area or an unusual drop in treated water reservoir levels; both of these prompt an investigation as they suggest a burst has occurred.
Teams of leakage technicians also proactively patrol high-risk areas, so that leaks can be spotted and fixed as quickly as possible.
Satellite technology is also used to help identify potential leakage across larger and more rural areas, allowing technicians to target their investigations more effectively.
Prioritising leaks and bursts - in extreme weather, decisions have to be made on what jobs need to be completed first and others are attended later than the normal level of service. Some require a more immediate response than others.
Between 1 January and 18 August 2026, teams repaired more than 4,150 leaks and bursts across Essex and Suffolk.
Working to find and fix leaks is a focus all year round not just in extreme weather. Essex & Suffolk Water is one of the UK's leading performers on leakage, reducing leakage by the equivalent of 3.1 million litres of water per day during 2025/26.
There has not been a temporary use ban across Essex and Suffolk since 1997, and this is due in part to the £150 million investment in the expansion of Abberton Reservoir, a project which completed in 2015 and increased water storage for Essex by 15 billion litres.
This was a huge investment, and around £66 million more will be used to improve resilience between 2025 and 2030 – including a number of pipe replacement schemes.
Kieran Ingram, ESW Water Director, said:
“We are industry-leading in terms of our leakage performance, but know that we, as well as the rest of our sector, still need to improve for our customers.
“We’ve had a lot of feedback from customers and the public about fixing leaks and we want our customers to know that this is our focus.
“All of our teams, including additional temporary teams, are working hard to find and fix leaks around the clock.
“Our specialist teams work tirelessly 24/7 seeking out leaks, which a technician assesses, allowing us to prioritise repairs to make sure we're protecting as much of our network, and supply to customers, as possible.”
“Repairs are not always a quick process as sometimes the leak or burst can be tricky to fix, but we try to work as quickly as possible, safely, with as little inconvenience to customers, residents and drivers as possible.”
The temporary use ban is still in force across Essex & Suffolk Water’s operating areas and has been for two full weeks now.
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