Thousands without water as main bursts in Kingswood

More than a dozen families are counting the cost of flood damage to their homes after last weeks water mains burst in Kingswood in South Gloucestershire. The main burst on Thursday afternoon in Fisher Road.

15 homes were flooded and 24,000 properties were left without water. The main has now been repaired and the damaged section sent for analysis to find out why it split.

Today insurance assessors arrived on site to examine the damage to flooded homes. But residents have been told it could be months before they can move back in. They will be fully recompensed as Bristol Water says it is liable and its insurers will meet incurred costs.

However, the thousands of other residents and businesses who were left without water for nearly two days won't get any compensation. It's only payable if the supply is cut off for more than 48 hours.

Chris Skidmore, MP for Kingswood has called for an inquiry review into the incident and says he will be supporting people in their compensation claims. He also says there's a risk of the same thing happening across Bristol:

Water has been restored to thousands of homes in South Gloucestershire.

24,000 homes have been without water after a water main burst on Thursday afternoon in Fisher Road, Kingswood.

Residents had to be rescued by an inflatable raft and spent the night in a nearby church. 18 schools were forced to close on Friday.

The water supply has been restored to parts of Kingswood after a two day interruption due to a burst main. However, houses in the following areas still have no supply:

• Longwell Green
• Warmley
• Oldland Common
• Fishponds
• Mayfield Park

Bristol Water says it is aiming to restore the supply to these areas by early afternoon.

This home video was shot on a street in Kingswood shortly after the water pipe burst

Bristol Water says its engineers are now working to fix the broken water mains in Kingswood.

The company says it's hoping the work will be completed by the early hours of tomorrow morning.

24,000 homes are without water.

It happened yesterday evening and caused widespread flooding with some homes having to be evacuated.

Bristol Water says it is increasing the number of tanks on each site and adding two new sites at Fishponds and Cadbury Heath.

An increased number of tankers is being mobilised to keep the tanks filled.

The gas company Wales and West Utilities, says it has carried out necessary work to its gas pipe to allow Bristol Water to repair the damaged water mains in Kingswood.

Up to 9,000 people in South Gloucestershire are still without water after the incident last night.

Bristol Water says they hope to be able to fix the damage within 24 hours.

Bristol Water says they have not yet been able to start work on fixing the damaged main because it's not safe for their crews.

It says work being carried out to a nearby gas main has to be completed before Bristol Water workers can gain access to their site.

It means they are unable to reveal an estimated time for the works to be completed.

Thousands of homes have been without water since yesterday evening.

Bristol Water say they've put mobile water tanks, known as bowsers, in position at the following locations:

• Co-op, 31 Halls Road, Kingswood, BS15 8JE
• Co-op, Downend Road, BS16 5UJ
• Tesco, 58 Broad Street, Staple Hill, BS16 5NP
• Sainsburys. Emerson Way, Emersons Green BS16 7AG
• Aspect Leisure Park. Longwell Green BS15 9LA

Customers are advised to bring their own containers to collect water from the bowsers.