Lib Dems call for Thames Water to compensate customers across Cranleigh and other areas for the loss of water supply

Parliamentary Candidate for Guildford and Cranleigh, Zöe Franklin, has written to the Chief Executive Officer of Thames Water, Sarah Bentley, to confirm when and how customers will be compensated for a water supply failure across one of the hottest days of the year.

The letter highlights that the recent loss of supply was not the first time this year that local residents and businesses have experienced water supply issues. It also notes that many residents have had disruptions to their supply three times already as well as other problems in the area including low pressure and white asbestos in several water mains.

Zöe Franklin, Parliamentary Candidate for Guildford, Cranleigh and our villages, explained:

"This latest water supply outage, which for some lasted five days, has highlighted very publicly the extent of the problem here in Cranleigh, Ewhurst, Shere, Gomshall and other local villages but it is just the tip of the iceberg. Local residents have suffered years of disruption and every time Thames Water say they will sort it they do not. They are simply not willing to invest the money and time needed to resolve the problem and this is completely unacceptable.

"I have made it very clear in my letter to Sarah Bentley that Thames Water needs to compensate residents and businesses for this latest major water failure as promptly as possible. According to residents they don't recall ever having been compensated for previous disruptions.

"Of course, these supply issues come at a time when Thames Water bosses received nearly £2.4 million in bonuses in 2020 and 2021, are losing an estimated 25% of their water every day due to leaks, continue to allow sewage to flow into our rivers, and the company are bringing in a hosepipe ban from next Wednesday. Residents and businesses are right to feel angry and let down when they are the ones suffering as a result of Thames Water's failures, yet the company's bosses are getting big payouts which looks like being rewarded for failure.

"The Conservative Government also needs to step up and take action. Where is the accountability for water companies on fixing leaks, sewage flowing into our river and huge bonuses when customers are being failed? They have had so many opportunities to set targets to do so but they are unwilling. Once again we see that they are more interested in benig on the side of corporations than people and local businesses.

"With an ever looming climate emergency water will become more and more of a precious commodity. The Government must act now to ensure all our futures are safe. Their inaction on this matter is deeply worrying."

Text of Letter to Sarah Bentley, CEO of Thames Water

Sarah Bentley
Chief Executive Officer
Thames Water
Clearwater Court
Vastern Road
Reading
RG1 8DB

16th August 2022

Dear Sarah Bentley

Re: Water Supply Issues Across Guildford and Cranleigh

As you will be aware, thousands of homes and businesses are currently experiencing major disruption to their supply including no water and low water pressure. For some, at the time of writing, it is day five of the disruption.

While I appreciate that your engineers are working hard to resolve current problems, this is not the first time that many of these people have experienced serious disruption to their water supplies. Low pressure and white asbestos in several water mains have caused disruption when being replaced and water outages have been an issue, particularly in Cranleigh, for years. Many residents during this year alone have had interruptions to their supply three times already. I am sure that you will agree that this is completely unacceptable.

It is my understanding that Thames Water has an automatic compensation scheme for residents which refunds domestic customers £30 for every 12 hours they are without water. However, speaking to residents, many are unaware of the scheme and those that are, do not recall ever having received compensation despite experiencing previous water outages.

Please let me know when and how these customers, impacted by these recent supply problems, will be compensated for every 12-hour period they were without water. Of course, it is not just domestic users who are adversely affected by the recent water supply problems (GU5, GU6, GU8, RH4, RH5, RH12).

Farmers, pubs, restaurants and other businesses and organisations will also have been impacted and I note that, as for domestic customers, you have a business compensation scheme. Therefore, please advise how all businesses and other organisations in the area are able to make use of this or any scheme as quickly and easily as possible so that they can apply for compensation to reduce the financial impact on them.

Finally, given this is not the first instance of water supply issues please let me know urgently what measures are to be taken by Thames Water to repair and invest in water infrastructure for Cranleigh and the villages. Residents and businesses should not have to suffer this kind of significant disruption, or the ongoing supply problems, that so many have experienced this year and in previous years ever again.

I look forward to your detailed response.

Yours sincerely

Zöe Franklin
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Guildford & Cranleigh