Anglian Water criticised for unfixed leak amid hosepipe ban
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- Linda Kirby, a receptionist at Polly's Field Village in Braintree, Essex, reported a water leak on Church Lane in June that she says has gone unrepaired for weeks, growing from a trickle into a persistent puddle near Chantry Close.
- Kirby publicly criticised Anglian Water for imposing a hosepipe ban during drought conditions while the leak continues to waste water, asking: "Why are we paying all of this money when there is water being wasted down a drain?"
- Anglian Water said its teams are "working hard" through the hot weather to "prioritise repairs that are having the greatest impact on customers' water supplies."
- Anglian Water added that current weather "can cause ground movement that results in an increase of burst water mains or leaks," and thanked customers for their patience.
- A second resident, whom the BBC agreed not to name, said she also reported the same leak and that it has been there for "two to three months," with cars splashing through the resulting puddle in the street.
Why it matters: Anglian Water is enforcing drought restrictions on paying customers while an actively reported, visibly wasting leak sits unrepaired for months, exposing a gap between the company's public conservation messaging and its frontline repair response during the exceptionally dry weather it itself cites.
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