Thames Water: Supplies restored after Hampton burst pipe Published duration 13 June 2019

image copyright PA image caption Shelves were emptied of bottled water in some supermarkets

Water supplies have been restored after a burst pipe left 100,000 properties in London with little or no water.

Schools were closed and hospital appointments cancelled on Wednesday following a fault at Hampton pumping station.

The TW, KT and W postcodes were affected.

Thames Water said the water supply was back, although a temporary pump remains in operation and some properties will experience lower pressure.

image copyright Thames Water image caption While repair work on the pipe is finished there may be short periods of low water pressure, especially at peak times this morning, Thames Water said

It apologised for the inconvenience caused and pledged to investigate the cause of the burst pipe "so we can take steps to stop it happening again".

"We continued working through the night to fix the burst pipe at Hampton treatment works as well as clear any trapped air from our pipes," a spokesman said.

"As we were able to bypass the burst and add extra water into our network, water pressure has improved."

image copyright @CabbagePatchPub image caption People were spotted stocking up on large amounts of bottled water in Twickenham on Wednesday

It added that while the repair work was being finished there could be "short periods of low water pressure, especially at peak times this morning".

A number of bottled water stations which were set up to provide drinking water have been closed.

Thirty schools and two children's centres in Richmond and Hounslow closed on Wednesday, including Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham, which was left without flushing toilets and washing facilities in the kitchen.

Surrey County Council also confirmed six schools had closed in Sunbury-on-Thames. Schools had earlier been advised to reopen.

Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust said all planned clinics and sessions at Teddington Memorial Hospital and Teddington Health and Social Care Centre had been cancelled.

There were 26,082 burst pipes between 2015 and February 2019.

Labour's Leonie Cooper said London's water supply was under pressure due to the growing population and the city's aging Victorian pipes.