General Chat

Just got a letter from N.W. The whole area is having major work done on water pipes. Relining the water pipes. Alfred McAlpine their conractors will begin work in the Tynemouth area on 4th January. The work will take 28 weeks to complete. Not sure if this means just Tynemouth will take 28 weeks or the whole area of Northumbria. There are three stages. One, digging up the roads and footpaths. Two, Cleaning and relining and drying out period. Three, Access holes to be refilled. We are to get 48 hours notice when the water has to be turned off for six hours, on numerous occasions. 48 hours notice when water is off for 15 hours, once only. 48 hours notice for the water to be off for 36 hours, again once only. 12 hours notice for water to be off for 1-4 hours. If major problems occurr. No notice if only off for up to an hour. A water bowser will be nearby for the 36 hour disruption. Usual advise for any disruption. Fill water containers, fill bath to flush the loo. We will be ok for the Central heating during the 36 hours without water but obviously cannot run the hot water supply. I just wonder how many times our hot tap will be turned on by mistake, thus having no heating for 36 hours. January can be very cold as we all know. After the 36 hour disruption we have to boil all water for drinking, cooking and dish washing for the next 48 hours. Whilst I realise this is a tremendous job that is being done and will benefit us all, I am absolutley dreading it. I have two parties to cater for in January. One for 150 and one for 200 guests. One being my own belated 50th Birthday party. How on earth am I going to cope with all these disruptions? I shall not be able to use my dishwasher. Any ideas would be very welcome to those that may have already been through this kind of work. Jenny.

going back a few years. My local water board went on strike. they were refusing to work out of hours. Of course a main pipe burst and my street was one of those without water for almost 6 weeks. We had a stand pipe at the bottom of the road and had to go with buckets to collect water, which then had to be boiled and cooled before drinking. My next door neighbour had a 3 week old baby and a 2 year old! And this was in February so frosty weather. I never take my nice clean water straight from the tap for granted now.

Jenny It may not be half as bad as you think. They did ours last year and we got the same wording as you but in the whole of the time we only lost water for half an hour!! One day we were informed that in 2 days time we would have no water for 24 hours from 7.00 in the morning. I got up early and filled everything I could lay my hands on (and the bath of course). I leant my friend and neighbour a bucket and she filled everything that she had. We waited all day and it was never cut off. It took us half an hour to empty everything that we had filled :))))))))))) Chrissie x

Jenny, For your parties would it be a good idea, if you could afford it, to go for disposable plates, cutlery etc. That would lighten the washing load a bit. Ann Glos