RESIDENTS have suffered damage and trauma from a catastrophic water leak in their homes on a Tavistock estate.

The major leaks on Bishopsmead estate happened in the late afternoon on Wednesday (May 10) turning their lives upside down and causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of water damage.

A sudden rise in water pressure is blamed for water bursting pipes and valves and surging into homes through ceilings and floors, from bathrooms and kitchens. Some have praised SW Water for their response, while others feel let down by the company, criticising their ‘lack of urgent support’. 

A South West Water spokesperson said: ‘On Wednesday (May 10) we experienced operational issues with a valve while we were carrying out maintenance in the Bishopsmead area.’  

‘This led to a higher pressure than normal through our network which caused issues for a small number customers. The fault was quickly resolved and pressure returned to normal. We continue to support customers who may have been impacted.’

Residents were taken completely by surprise when they appear to have simultaneously been hit by jets of water forcing their way into mainly kitchens and cutting off electricity, leaving them unable to cook and wash clothes.

Families and others have been forced to abandon kitchens and find other ways of preparing meals, such as buying take-away meals, washing at launderettes, while the luckier ones have been supported by families.

Adam Peterson, 25, of Grenville Meadow, is unhappy with the service he has received from SW Water. He has messaged and spoken to the customer service and emergency response teams and said they do not seem to appreciate the urgency of his situation as a vulnerable person.

Speaking at the weekend he said: ‘It’s been four days since the flood and still SW Water has not treated me seriously. I’m registered as a vulnerable person with them because I’m in constant pain and have mental health problems which includes stress and depression.

‘I’ve spoken to them and had an argument with them on the phone because I got really upset that they’re not listening.  It’s just not good enough that they still haven’t even visited to see for themselves what I’ve been telling them for days.

‘My home is my safe place as far as my mental health goes and its been several days of trauma for me, firstly experiencing the flood as it happened, then the consequences of not having anywhere to cook or wash my clothes. It’s expensive enough to buy food now, without having to rely on takeaways. Luckily my mum is helping me when she can.  I also have to keep the doors open to try and dry the house out and stop the smell.’

He said he was shocked when he heard a big bang and water started spurting out of the kitchen wall: ‘I was just relaxing on the sofa when it happened and I couldn’t believe my eyes when this jet of water shot out of the wall. I then tried desperately to bail out the water with pots and pans and throwing it outside thew the door, it was laughable really because it wasn’t making any difference.  Eventually I gave up and it stopped after about two hours. The water reached about knee level 

Tracey Lees, of Hawthorn Road, and her family are also living in chaos after water flooded from her bathroom upstairs: ‘It was very scary for my daughters to come home and find water pouring into the house and the dogs scared. It’s turned our lives upside down.’ She is pleased with SW Water’s response.

Stella Irish, of Willow Road, has been told it will be three to six months before her home will be habitable. In the meantime, she is forced to live with her daughter in Okehampton: ‘It’s not just about possessions and the house being damaged, but the emotional stress of seeing the flood and inconvenience of being temporarily homeless is extensive. We all need compensation for that.’