Good news for residents as the long-term water leak on Banbury road is fixed
A long-term water leak on a busy residential road in Banbury has been fixed, much to the delight of residents and councillors.
Oxfordshire County Council has confirmed that its contractors were able to fix the water leak on Orchard Way.
It came after residents complained that water was leaking onto the road and creating a potential hazard.
Initially, the council believed the issue to be caused by a leaking utility pipe; however, upon inspection, it was discovered that the water leak was coming from an underground spring.
Council workers alongside teams from Thames Water built a soakaway (a special pit designed to manage excess water), which enabled them to direct the water safely into a nearby drainage pipe.
Banbury Ruscote's representative, Cllr Mark Cherry, coordinated with the local residents and the council to ensure the leak's repair.
Cllr Cherry has welcomed the news that the council and Thames Water staff have been able to redivert the leaking water. He said: “This has been an issue consistently raised by residents, which I've been working hard to resolve.
“Following extensive liaison and water testing with Oxfordshire County Council highways officers and Thames Water, we established that the leaking water was not coming from a burst water main or pipe but from a spring. I'm pleased to report this has been successfully diverted underground and into the stormwater system.
“I would like to thank Oxfordshire County Council contractors for moving forward with the work that will make the Orchard Way road safer, particularly during the coming colder months.”