Water that would fill three Olympic-size swimming pools has been leaking into the street for 10 months

A BUREAUCRATIC squabble over who should fix a pipe has led to six million litres of water leaking from a Dartmouth Park estate.

The lost water is enough to fill three Olympic swimming pools or all the glasses at the three-week long Oktoberfest beer festival in Germany.

Neighbours in Peabody’s Palmer Estate in Dartmouth Park Hill – on the border of Camden and Islington – are demanding a solution after a broken lead pipe under the building caused water to pool underground and seep out onto the street, constantly dribbling down the hill towards Tufnell Park tube station.

Thames Water workers investigated the leak, and in a recorded telephone call heard by Tribune, told residents that up to 870 litres of water were being leaked per hour from properties on the street.

This amounts to almost six million litres – which could fill 11,000 family-sized swimming pools – of lost water since October, when the leak was first discovered.

Jane Dixon-Halsall, a former plumber who lives in the street, said: “This is wilful neglect from Peabody. Thames Water has actually been very helpful and have dug the ground up and identified that this is a huge leak that is coming from underneath the property.”

“Because it looks like it’s on the pavement, Peabody have consistently told me that it’s not their responsibility.

“My biggest worry is that they are just not going to deal with anything until we are harmed.

“We are just being left high and dry.”

While some of this water is visible at street level, neighbours are worried that their homes could be flooded or even that a sinkhole could emerge.

Peabody has argued that because the leak is in the street it is Islington Council’s or Thames Water’s problem. A 10-month dispute has been going on all the while the water has been dribbling out.

Ms Dixon-Halsall said: “There are lots of elderly and vulnerable people here on this street. If this block was to flood I suspect we would all be moved out. And maybe that is what Peabody want, so they can sell off the flats.

“And, even if it doesn’t burst for another 10 years, to leak six million litres of water in the middle of a drought, while there is a hosepipe ban and the wildlife is dying… Are you kidding me?”

A Peabody spokesperson said: “We’re looking into this and getting someone to check where the leak is coming from and who is responsible for the affected pipe.

“Once that’s clear, we’ll make sure the right action is taken.

“We’re sorry this has been frustrating for residents.”