Some of you will know that I have been tried to follow up on the continuous works carried out in Crescent Road from Thames Water, which have required several pavements and road closures in the past months.
I have still not received a response on what the issue is but have received news of more coming works. This below is what I have been told after I have asked Thames Water to investigate and a crew has attended the site. I will keep you posted on any development or update I receive.
We discovered there were no blockage within our sewer pipe. However, we identified a crack and noticed the chamber walls were deteriorating.
Therefore, we have raised a manhole chamber repair. This is a complex job, as it will require our engineers to dismantle and rebuild the chamber wall. Additionally, we have identified a defect within the chamber which will require us to conduct further investigation.
We are currently unable to provide a specific timeframe for the completion of these works. To explain, due to the location of the chamber, road closures will be necessary to ensure the safety of our team and the public during the repairs and investigation process. Unfortunately, obtaining the required permits can be a lengthy process, as the local council does not only consider the works we need to complete, but also any other potential permits that have been submitted in the area for other third parties.
Please be assured, I have contacted our Customer Liaisons team to request an estimated timeframe for the completion of these works. I will provide you with an update as soon as I receive further information.
Next steps
I will look to contact you by 18 June. However, If you or your constituents have any other questions or if there is anything else I can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact me.
You and your constituents can also:
Report some of the most common issues, such as blockages and leaks, on our website here.
Call our Customer Contact Centre on 0800 316 9800. Lines are always open.
Find out more about our Priority Service Register here, if you or someone you know, needs extra support. You can call us on 0800 009 3652; 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Replies
Dear all - have received a further update from Thames Water on this. Briefly, works are on hold, waiting for a survey to be carried out. More details below. Please get in touch if there is anything specific you want me to raise, Thank you!
18 June 2025
Our Ref: 33550534
Sewer repair – Crescent Road, N22 7RS
Dear Councillor Rossetti
Thank you for your email received on 4 June, on behalf of the local residents, regarding the continuous repairs in the above location. I am sorry to hear this has been an inconvenience for all residents. Please be assured, as a member of the escalated complaints team, I have been entrusted to continue keeping you updated.
Continuous repairs
To explain, we operate as a reactive company, meaning when we receive reports from our customers regarding our assets, we are responsible for investigating and carrying out necessary repairs to ensure our sewers remain fully operational. Over recent years, several works have been carried out in response to reports from local residents regarding operational issues.
During our investigations, we have identified defects within our network, which has led to several repairs over the last few years. For instance, in 2024 we discovered a collapse in our sewer. Due to the location, road closures were required to safely carry out repair work, which led us to apply for a permit.
As previously mentioned, we require the Local Authority (LA) to approve our permits, which include any traffic management requirements. As part of this, they can approve or decline our request, as well as stipulate the times and dates we are able to undertake our work. Additionally, obtaining the required permits can be a lengthy process, as the LA does not only consider the work we need to complete, but also any other potential permits that have been submitted in the area for other third parties.
Furthermore, depending on the location of the defective sewer, in order for us to access it, we sometimes need to complete a shaft and heading. To explain, shaft and heading involves the manual excavation of a tunnel, supported by using timber sets, to facilitate the installation of sewer pipes in area where access is limited, and standard methods of sewer connection cannot be employed. This process in itself is time consuming.
Our current work
In regard to the manhole chamber repair at Crescent Road, our Customer Liaison team have noted this is currently on hold as it will cause an obstruction of access to one of the properties on Crescent Road. Additionally, they advised a structural survey is required before we can proceed. The findings of this survey will guide the approach to the work and this will be submitted for enabling. To explain, enabling involves us carrying out pre-work surveys so we can understand the full scope of the work and any other requirements, such as traffic management.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a confirmed scheduled date at this time. However, please be assured, I will keep you informed on this and look to contact you again to provide an update.
Next steps
If I do not hear from you prior, I will contact you again with a further update, no later than 2 July.
All, further updates on this:
Sewer repair – Crescent Road, N22 7RS
Dear Councillor Rossetti
I am writing to you following on from our email dated 18 June, regarding the sewer repairs at the above location and I welcome this opportunity to provide you with an update.
Sewer clean
I am pleased to confirm we attended Crescent Road on 25 June under reference SA-2354032. During this attendance, we discovered our sewer was more than 50% obstructed with silt, debris, and fat. This was removed by jetting the sewer multiple times, leaving our sewer free flowing and fully operational.
To explain, some of the items found in our sewer are classed as sewer misuse. This is when inappropriate items are disposed of into our network causing blockages. Items may include things such as wet wipes, sanitary products, fat, oil, and grease. As you may appreciate, our network is not designed to accommodate these items, and we cannot control or predict what is disposed of into our network from homes and businesses. [AR: will further enquiry about this]
Chamber repair
In regard to the manhole chamber repair at Crescent Road, I have contacted our Customer Liaisons to inquire about the current status. Please be assured, I will look to contact you again to provide further information.
14 July 2025
Our Ref: 33550534
Sewer repair – Crescent Road, N22 7RS
Dear Councillor Rossetti
I am writing to you following on from our email dated 2 July, regarding the chamber repair at the above location and I welcome this opportunity to provide you with an update.
Chamber repair
Our Customer Liaisons have noted we are waiting for our contractors, Cappagh to confirm a scheduled date for the chamber repair on Crescent Road. Please be assured, I will continue to monitor this for you, and I will look to contact you again to provide an update.
Next steps
If I do not hear from you prior, I will contact you again with a further update, no later than 28 July.
Hi all,
more responses and updates from Thames Water. I asked about items blocking the sewer and received this response:
Sewer blockages – Crescent Road, N22 7RS
Dear Councillor Rossetti
Thank you for your email received on 27 July, in response to our email dated 2 July, regarding the sewer misuse in the above location.
Sewer misuse
During our attendance on 25 June, we identified the presence of fat within our sewer, which is classified as sewer misuse. It may be helpful to note, it is not possible to determine the exact point at which the material entered the main sewer and we cannot measure how far it travelled before causing a blockage.
Please be assured, we have arranged for copies of our ‘Bin it, Don’t Block it’ (BIDBI) leaflets to be distributed to residents in the area. The leaflets are used to advise customers of the impact of putting incorrect items into the drains and to provide guidance on what materials should not be flushed or poured down the drains. These leaflets have proven effective in the past. Please find further information regarding our BIDBI campaign on our website here.
In terms of update on the works, this is the latest:
Sewer repair – Crescent Road, N22 7RS
Dear Councillor Rossetti
I am writing to you following on from our email dated 14 July, regarding the chamber repair at the above location and I welcome this opportunity to provide you with an update.
Chamber repair
We are currently awaiting the review of the structural survey. As previously advised, the findings of this survey will determine the approach to the work, which will then be submitted for enabling. Additionally, once these works are approved, we will need to contact the shop owner, as access to their property will be temporarily restricted while repairs are taking place. Please be assured, I will continue to monitor this for you, and I will look to contact you again to provide an update.
Next steps
If I do not hear from you prior, I will contact you again with a further update, no later than 11 August.