How the rise in burst water mains highlight problems with old pipes and pressured drainage systems

Burst pipes can cause huge problems for communities, particularly in densely populated areas such as cities. But as the cooler approaches what can be done to ensure our complex and often antiquated drainage systems are running as they should? 

According to the Association of British Insurers, escape of water was a significant issue for both residential and commercial buildings. In 2022 a total of £987m worth of claims were made across the year. From frozen pipes in residential properties, to burst water mains in the street, water management becomes more difficult when the cooler weather hits.  

This summer, a burst water main in London’s King’s Cross led to a significant flooding event. Multiple residential and commercial properties were impacted, and an entire hotel had to be evacuated. The whole incident took around eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters to respond to. The damage is still being assessed, but it will have caused significant financial losses. 

If a water supply is interrupted by an emergency, such as a burst main water pipe, water companies must restore the supply within 12 hours of becoming aware of the problem. In cities such as London, where much of the water system is over 100 years old, incidents can occur reasonably frequently – and this can put huge pressures on the companies managing the water supply and infrastructure. 

From building a comprehensive picture of assets through to identifying risk patterns, there are many ways that these potential problems with water supply and management can be mitigated. 
 
Installing a sensor will help provide insights on drainage performance, hydrological systems, flood risk, groundwater, and wastewater assets – this is particularly important for local council or large water companies who manage a range of wastewater assets such as sewers. 

To find out more about Previsico’s water management solution, book a demo today.