Britons living in Bourne, Lincolnshire, have been left in shock after learning a water leak which has persisted for at least four months might not be repaired by Anglian Water until November.
The leak has been sending a steady stream of water across a footpath adjacent to the A151 and into nearby woodland, even as hosepipe restrictions now affect more than 27 million people across England.
Mark Kelby, who discovered the leak while walking through the woods, said the water level had at times risen above the top of his walking boots.
He described himself as "gobsmacked" upon being informed the repair was delayed because it required overnight work and a possible road closure.
"We're all under a hosepipe ban at the moment, we've got water shortages, and yet we're letting thousands of litres of water run away quite happily," he said.
Sue Wooley, the county councillor representing Bourne North & Morton, criticised the water company for its inaction despite being fully aware of the problem.
She highlighted residents had received contradictory information about when the repair would take place, with dates ranging from August 19 all the way through to November.
"We're all trying to do our best by being very careful and conserving water, and Anglian Water don't seem to give a damn," she told the BBC.
Ms Wooley also described the conditions at the site as both "unnecessary" and "unpleasant" for walkers entering the woodland, noting a build-up of black sludge had made the area particularly disagreeable.
Multiple residents have separately reported the leak to the company, each receiving different timelines for a fix.
Anglian Water stated highways requirements had influenced the scheduling of the repair, although it added it was looking into ways of completing the work ahead of the current timeline.
The company employs 245 staff dedicated to locating and repairing leaks across its network.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Britons told to brace for floods in just days after weeks of drought and dry conditions
- Met Office warns Britain could be in for September heatwave
- Andy Burnham will hand farmers £65million amid driest July: 'Should not have to carry the risk of climate change alone!'
A spokesman said: "Teams work around the clock to identify and repair leaks as quickly as possible, prioritising those that have the greatest impact on customers' water supplies and those resulting in the highest water loss."
The firm's position is it focuses its resources on addressing leaks causing the most significant disruption to supply and the largest volumes of lost water, a stance that has done little to placate frustrated residents watching treated water flow freely into woodland during a drought.
Beyond Bourne, the UK faces the prospect of even tighter water restrictions as Whitehall officials prepare contingency plans for a "reasonable worst-case scenario" should rainfall remain low.
Although temperatures are expected to drop this week and heavy showers may arrive on Thursday, forecasters believe this will be insufficient to end the widespread drought.
Government officials are now considering non-essential use bans that could affect car washes, window cleaning services, and the refilling of private swimming pools, including those in gyms, according to The Times.
Such bans could also prevent the watering of sports and recreation pitches, potentially causing difficulties for the football season already under way.
Southern Water is so far the only company to have submitted a non-essential use ban application, with Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle set to make the decision.
Craig Beaumont, Executive Director of the Federation of Small Businesses, warned: "Restricting small firms and the self-employed will hit livelihoods, so public agencies including HMRC must be ready to help, if a business or sole trader gets in trouble."
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
