The leader of North Lincolnshire Council has demanded an urgent summit with water company bosses after more than 30,000 properties were affected by the latest major disruption to supplies.
Homes and businesses across Scunthorpe, Messingham and surrounding communities experienced low pressure, intermittent supplies or no water after two pipes serving the same network burst overnight.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, praised the frontline crews working through the night but said senior water company executives must now take responsibility for persistent failures across the network.
He said: “The lads and lasses on the ground, out at four o’clock in the morning making emergency repairs, deserve enormous credit. They are working flat out in difficult circumstances to restore supplies and support residents.
“But the people running these companies need to get a grip and sort this out.
“More than 30,000 properties have been affected by this latest incident. That means families unable to wash, businesses unable to operate normally, schools and community facilities closing – and vulnerable people left worrying about when their water will return.
“We seem to bounce from hosepipe bans and warnings about water shortages to concerns about flooding and then another burst or major supply failure. At the same time, residents can see water leaking from pipes in communities across North Lincolnshire.
“One minute people are being told to conserve every drop; the next they are watching thousands of gallons disappear down the road. It is understandably infuriating.”
Crews were repairing the first burst when a second pipe also failed, stopping water from flowing into the local storage reservoir and causing it to empty.
A temporary repair has allowed water to begin flowing back into the network, but customers may continue to experience disruption while the reservoir refills and work on the second pipe continues.
Cllr Waltham added: “This is no longer about one isolated incident. Residents across North Lincolnshire have endured repeated leaks, interruptions and pressure problems. They pay their bills and have every right to expect a reliable water supply.