The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Islington Council met on Tuesday 24 February 2026 to scrutinise the operations of Thames Water within the borough. The meeting focused heavily on the impact of recent water main bursts, the company's investment plans, and customer service issues, with significant criticism directed at Thames Water's response and infrastructure maintenance.

Thames Water's Infrastructure and Response to Incidents

A major focus of the meeting was the recurring issue of water main bursts in Islington, with particular attention paid to recent incidents on Caledonian Road and Canterbury Street. Councillor Una O'Halloran, Leader of the Council, presented a photograph of flooding on Caledonian Road, stating, This picture represents families woken up in the middle of the night, homes flooded, residents evacuated, 10 fire engines, and 70 firefighters. She attributed these events to the decay and the failure of our basic water infrastructure and highlighted that Islington has experienced burst after burst and disruption after disruption. Data from the London Fire Brigade indicated 15 burst water main incidents in Islington requiring emergency response in a recent period.

Martin Padley, Water Director at Thames Water, acknowledged the issues, stating, The London Fire Brigade attended, as you said, and we were in close, so thank you very much for that from Thames and from me personally. He reported that most of the 14,257 customers affected by a recent incident were back in supply, but acknowledged that some residents from an August incident were still not back in their properties. He also mentioned that Islington has the oldest water assets, with 0.3 kilometres of pipes per kilometre of network.

Councillor Clare Jeapes, who lives on Canterbury Street, described her experience during a 36-inch mains burst, stating, I looked out of the window and found a river rushing down the street, of which I thought a whole lot of swear words and a lot of annoyance. She expressed concern about the large 36-inch water mains running through her ward, fearing that if one burst, it could flood basements and bedrooms.

Residents also shared their experiences of the aftermath of these incidents. Sasha Donaldson, a resident of Cedar Court, described the evacuation process following the Canterbury Street burst, stating, When we got evacuated out of the house, we were standing on the corner of a street for four hours, until 2 o'clock in the morning for some. She criticised the council's management of the situation, stating, The management of that, council-wise, was terrible. We wasn't took into a proper rest centre at all. She also detailed the difficulties in claiming for damaged contents, describing the process as like pulling teeth and criticising the lack of support for vulnerable residents.

Thames Water outlined its investment plans, including a £20 billion programme to replace mains pipes. Across the AMP8 period (2025-2030), they aim to replace 550km of mains, a significant increase from the 220km replaced in the previous AMP period (2020-2025). They also plan to replace 50km of larger trunk pipes. In Islington specifically, Thames Water plans to replace approximately 60km of pipe, which is 16% of the total mains replacement in Islington, compared to 1.7% for the rest of the company. However, challenges such as proximity to existing works on Pentonville Road and the need for careful planning on roads like Upper Street, Essex Road, and Holloway Road mean precise timelines cannot be given.

The cost of replacing water mains in London was highlighted as a significant issue, with Thames Water estimating it at £1,642 per metre, compared to Ofwat's view of £1,180 per metre. This funding gap is a concern, and Thames Water is seeking support from local authorities regarding parking bay suspensions and lane rental charges.

Customer Service and Pricing

Chris Pollard, Director of Customer Service at Thames Water, addressed customer service issues and price rises. He stated that from 1 April 2026, the price rise would be between 3.3% and 3.5%, resulting in an average increase of £2 per month for typical water and wastewater customers. He noted that between April 2025 and January 2026, Thames Water received 2,118 complaints from Islington residents, with 1,905 of these related to billing and metering. He also highlighted the availability of social tariffs, such as the water help bill cap, which supports customers whose bills exceed 5% of their net income. Over 70,000 customers were added to this scheme in the past year, bringing the total to nearly 400,000.

However, residents expressed dissatisfaction with the customer service provided, particularly regarding claims for flood damage. One resident described the process of claiming for a £20 kettle as requiring proof of purchase and detailed questioning about the age of items, stating, What the hell is that all about? Like, actually questioning. Go on Google yourself and do the checks. Councillor Saiqa Pandor raised concerns about the relationship between Thames Water and loss adjusters, questioning how customers are treated and the average time taken to settle claims. She also asked for confirmation that all claims from 2022 had been settled.

Councillor Hannah McHugh, Chair of the Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee and Equalities Champion, expressed concern about the communication and support provided to residents affected by floods, particularly regarding the duration of works and the process of returning home. She noted that some residents were initially told they would be home in two months, but months later, there is still significant work to be done.

Adverse Weather and Infrastructure Resilience

The meeting also touched upon the impact of adverse weather. Thames Water reported that the cold weather in early January 2026 led to a high number of mains bursts and leaks across London, with their teams working 24/7 to restore supply. They recorded 1,186 burst main completions and attended 9,724 emergencies in total during this period. Councillor Ruth Hayes, Chair of the Environment, Climate Change and Transport Scrutiny Committee, raised concerns about the longevity of the new pipes being installed and whether corners were being cut in terms of materials used. She questioned whether the pipes being replaced were of sufficient quality to prevent future issues.

The effectiveness of Thames Water's reporting app was also discussed, with a resident noting that despite multiple reports of a leak on Mackenzie Road, substantial action was only taken when a massive hole appeared. This raised questions about how many reports are needed before action is taken and how the app prioritises issues.

Councillor Nick Wayne, Chair of the Corporate Resources and Economy Scrutiny Committee, sought assurances that residents affected by future incidents would be treated differently from those whose experiences had been described, particularly regarding the elderly and vulnerable. He also questioned Thames Water about their knowledge of the risk associated with specific mains, such as those on Caledonian Road, and what investigations and plans were in place.

The committee agreed to arrange a separate meeting with Thames Water to discuss specific issues in more detail.