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Tewkesbury Millbank, taken by John de Wet

Flood crisis 2007

News updates from 2007 during the flood crisis across Gloucestershire.

Last updated Saturday 18 August 2007

FLOOD RELIEF FUND: So far over 拢600,000 has been raised through the generous support of public and business donations. The flood relief fund now has a dedicated website, click on the below to see it:

Flood relief fund >

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麻豆约拍 Good Neighbour Scheme

Flood relief fund >

The 麻豆约拍 is not responsible for the content of external websites

News updates before w/b Mon 13 August 2007

SEVERN TRENT: With water supplies now fully back to normal, Severn Trent has thanked the communities across Gloucester, Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and the surrounding villages for their support and patience during what has been the largest incident of its kind experienced by any water company in the UK. Tony Wray, Severn Trent Water's managing director, said:听

"Thank you so much for your co-operation and patience in extremely difficult and trying circumstances. We at Severn Trent recognise that many communities in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire have suffered significantly during this period.听Therefore we have decided to make available up to ?3.5 million to support those communities in recovering from this incident. Severn Trent will be working with the local authorities to determine how to make best use of this money.听 We believe that a contribution such as this will be of long term benefit to all in the community. This whole incident has been unprecedented.听The scale of this operation went far beyond our previous experience, or indeed that of any other water company.

During the 17 days since Mythe was forced out of action by the floods Severn Trent has:

purchased and made available more than 50 million litres of bottled water
deployed more than 1300 water bowsers and more than 100 tankers to refill them.
had more than 2000 Severn Trent staff and contractors working 24 hours a day on the incident
purchased and installed additional emergency flood defences at Mythe water treatment works.

Severn Trent鈥檚 current estimate of the costs of dealing with the incident is in the range of ?25 million to ?35 million, partially offset by insurance of between ?10 million to ?20 million.听These figures are likely to be revised in the coming weeks as the full extent of costs becomes clearer. Tony concluded:听

"The priority for Severn Trent was always the provision of alternative sources of water and the return of normal water and sewerage services which we have now done. Throughout the entire incident we have had the organised backing and practical support from the emergency services and other agencies at Gold Command, all of which provided tremendous support at a time when our own resources were fully committed.听 We wish to pay tribute to all those who helped us keep emergency water supplies flowing."

TAP WATER SAFE TO DRINK: Severn Trent has just announced that tap water is now safe to drink for the 140,000 homes that had their supplies interrupted when Mythe water treatment works was flooded.

Results from intensive quality sampling and testing confirm that restored tap water supplies meet all the strict quality standards set by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI).听

This means that people no longer need to boil tap water before drinking it. Tony Wray, Severn Trent Water's managing director, explained:听

"The intensive programme of sampling and testing has confirmed that restored tap water supplies are once again completely safe to drink.听Tap water can now be used for cleaning teeth, washing dishes, preparing food and infant formula and ice-making. We had to be 100 per cent certain that all supplies were back up to the normal high standards before we could remove the 'boil tap water' instruction.

"This whole incident has been unprecedented and we recognise the immense inconvenience that so many of our customers have faced during the last two weeks.听 We greatly admire everyone's resilience and the neighbourly spirit that has been evident throughout and want to thank them for their patience and tolerance of the situation," added Tony.

Supplies of bottled water will remain available until the incident closes but the majority of bowsers have been withdrawn.

COTSWOLD LEISURE CENTRE: Up to three quarters of the electrical and mechanical equipment at the Cotswold Leisure Centre in Cirencester will have to be replaced, following major flooding in the building's plant room. 70,000 gallons of water had to be pumped out of the basement after the unprecedented amounts of rainfall last month.

COST OF FLOODING: It'll cost an estimated fifty million pounds to get Gloucestershire up and running again after recent flooding. As official control of the crisis is handed over to the county council - marking an end to the emergency response - members warn it could still be a long road to recovery. Gloucestershire Recovery Group will work alongside health and voluntary agencies to rebuild homes, roads, schools and businesses in the region.

STAVERTON AIRPORT: A runway at Staverton Airport has been closed off, so Severn Trent can use the space to store empty water bowsers. One of the hangars has also been commandeered to help house nearly fifteen hundred of the plastic water tanks. The airport's being used as a holding depot before Severn Trent send all the bowsers back to where they came from.

Official end of the emergency: Gloucestershire's flood response has now moved into a new phase. Gloucestershire County Council has now taken over control of the recovery programme. Gold Command, based at Gloucestershire Police Headquarters in Quedgeley, which managed the emergency response for the last two weeks, handed over control to the Gloucestershire Recovery Group at 3pm today (Monday 6th). The handover marks the official end of the emergency response period.

A Severn Trent spokesman says we should be able to drink water direct from the tap sometime next week. At the moment the advice is that you can drink the water from the tap or bowsers, but you must boil it first.

Following the burst water pipe near to GCHQ in Cheltenham yesterday (Saturday), and the subsequent loss of water in some parts of Cheltenham and Gloucester, all but twenty homes have had their water supply restored. (Ten thousand homes were affected in Benhall, Brockworth, Upton, Fox Elms and Matson).

140,000 homes have been without clean water for nearly two weeks, but with the return to normality hopefully not far away, bowsers are now beginning to be withdrawn from the streets of Gloucestershire. Those still holding water will be left for longer so that they can be moved once they've been emptied.

FLOOD RELIEF FUND: Tewkesbury Borough Council has issued details of how to apply for the Gloucestershire Flood Relief Fund.听The forms are available on the council's website (www.tewkesburybc.gov.uk) and are for Gloucestershire residents whose homes have been flooded by the July 2007 floods and who have suffered hardship as a result.

Relief Fund Application >

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SEVERN TRENT WATER: The Director of Severn Trent Water - Martin Kane - joined Mark Cummings on Friday's Breakfast Show on 麻豆约拍 Radio Gloucestershire and answered many of the questions we have been receiving over the past week. To listen to the whole interview again, click on the link on the right hand of this page.

LESSONS LEARNT: The emergency services, Severn Trent and other organisations will soon begin the process of assessing the lessons learnt from the floods crisis.听They'll look at how they responded to the emergency and how rising water came to threaten utilities in the first place.

FLOOD QUESTIONS: The Environment Agency is inviting people living in areas affected by the recent floods to come to one of the drop in sessions being held across Gloucestershire. Staff will be on hand to answer questions covering the flooding, the clean-up operation and future plans to manage flood risk in their area. The EA is also inviting other agencies to take part so that, together, as much information as possible will be provided to local residents.

FLOOD FUND NEARS 拢350,000: A huge fundraising drive to help county flood victims is close to the 拢350,000 mark.听 Launched last Friday by the Mayors of Tewkesbury and Gloucester it will make money available to all parts of the county affected by last week's floods. Cheques made payable to "Gloucestershire Flood Relief Fund" can be taken or posted to any UK branch of HSBC, C&G or the Chelsea Building Society. Donors with internet banking can make a direct transfer. The sort code is 40-22-09 and the account number is 82191385. For more details click on the link below.

Flood relief fund >

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BOGUS CALLERS: Severn Trent continues to remind all customers, especially the elderly, to be aware of the heightened risk of bogus callers.听 If someone is asking to come into your home, saying they are on water business, you must ask to see ID and check that they are a genuine Severn Trent worker.听 Please check with us to confirm the identity of the caller if you are in any doubt, for example by calling our freephone number on 0800 783 4444.听 Genuine Severn Trent employees won't mind waiting while these checks are carried out.

FLOOD DEFENCES: Gloucestershire Constabulary is keen to reassure members of the public that temporary flood barriers are only being removed at Mythe because more permanent defences have been put in place. Acting Assistant Chief Constable Steve Ackland said: "The defences that are being removed are the temporary emergency barriers put in place at the beginning of this crisis. I can reassure members of the public that these have now been replaced by more substantial structures which were installed following the forecast for heavy rain last weekend. These will remain in place until a more permanent solution is found."

GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEME: In the aftermath of the flood crisis, 麻豆约拍 Gloucestershire is inviting people to donate their skills and time to help victims of the disaster. The 麻豆约拍 Radio Gloucestershire Good Neighbour Scheme has been launched in association with Gloucester Time Bank to link up people who have time and practical skills they are willing to share with flood victims who could benefit from them. For more information call the CSV Action Desk on 01452 331133 or click on the link below.听

麻豆约拍 Good Neighbour Scheme

SEVERN TRENT WATER: 140,000听properties served by Severn Trent in and around Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury are now reconnected to running mains water. Martin Kane, Severn Trent's director of customer services, said: "All customers affected by the shut down of Mythe water treatment works now have a supply. However, some customers at the edge of the network served by Mythe may be suffering some interruptions or low water pressure. Anyone concerned about this problem should call us on 0800 783 4444.

SAFE WATER: Martin Kane, Severn Trent's director of customer services said: "We must continue to remind customers that any restored supplies must not be used for drinking, even after boiling.听But it's perfectly safe to use for showering, bathing, flushing toilets and washing clothes. Meanwhile, we are sampling tap water intensively over the weekend and beyond to ensure we can get customers back onto a drinkable supply as soon as possible next week. Water for drinking will still be widely available from bowsers and bottled water distribution points and we will guarantee availability of millions litres of bottled water every day for as long as the incident continues.

TEWKESBURY: Businesses in flood hit Tewkesbury are returning to normal听 - but they need people to visit. The town was one of the worst hit place in the county and got the nickname 'the isle of Tewkesbury', but the national attention and the fact it was cut off has put some visitors off coming to the town.

GLOUCESTER: The city council is also highlighting that Gloucester is back in business and hosting three festivals - The Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester International Blues Festival and the city's own summer festival with its Firework Finale in Gloucester Park on Saturday.听 Most city centre shops, hotels and restaurants and all the city museums and attractions are now open.

THANK YOU: Speaking on 麻豆约拍 Radio Gloucestershire's Wednesday Breakfast Show Fraser Pithie from Severn Trent Water said: "Can I thank the community for what they have put up with over the past week - all the volunteers and everyone across Gloucestershire who have done so much to support one another and Severn Trent in what has been one of the most difficult times we have ever faced. We could not have done it without the support of the community across Gloucestershire."

Severn Trent will tell customers BY THEIR POSTCODE when water is once again safe to drink - and details will appear ON THIS WEBSITE.

REPORTING WATER LEAKS: Severn Trent is finding that as the water is coming back on, there have been a few burst water pipes causing enormous leaks in the system. Members of the public who have come across these leaks have been calling 999 - the message is DON'T! It won't be the emergency services who deal with this, it's Severn Trent. The correct number to call to report a burst pipe is Severn Trent on 0800 783 4444.

* IMPORTANT WATER RECONNECTION NEWS *

Do NOT drink the tap water even after boiling it

Do NOT use the water for food preparation or washing dishes - even after boiling

Do NOT use the water for ice-making

Do NOT use the water for cleaning your teeth

Do NOT use the water for making baby feeds

Reconnected tap water CAN ONLY be used for flushing toilets, bathing and showering, and washing clothes.

Bottled water or boiled bowser water remains the ONLY safe source of drinking water until further notice. You will be informed when tap water is safe to drink.

RUGBY FESTIVAL FOR FLOOD VICTIMS: Gloucester RFC is taking part in a festival to raise money for the victims of the flooding crisis. They are being joined by Worcester Warriors, from another city seriously affected by the recent bad weather. Details of the festival of rugby will be released over the next week but the mayor's offices of both Gloucester and Worcester will be asked to help administer the cash raised. To start off the fund a sum of 拢30,000 has been joint donated by the two clubs. Gloucester's owner and chairman Tom Walkinshaw says they had to do something to help.

RED CROSS EFFORT GOES ON: The biggest Red Cross peace-time operation since the end of the second world war is set to continue for another two weeks. The charity which has had help from over 100 volunteers has been using 20 4X4 vehicles to help听deliver 200,000 litres of water and 8,000 toilet kits to the vulnerable here in Gloucestershire. Paul Geoffrey, volunteer chairman, says it's important the Red Cross efforts continue as there are many elderly, disabled and other people in need who cannot go out to obtain water and other supplies will need support until their water is back to normal.

RECYCLE YOUR PLASTIC BOTTLES: People who have been getting water from the free bottled supply are being asked to take them back to the same distribution point so they can be recycled. Severn Trent Water will return bottles to Staverton for bulking and crushing. Links have been made with the local authority recycling systems to ensure all plastic is recycled and not landfilled. People can also recycle their plastic bottles at regular plastic bottle recycling banks across the county. These banks will be emptied more regularly than usual to cope with the huge demand. To find the location of temporary and regular plastic recycling banks, check out www.recycleforgloucestershire.com.
Gloucester City Council says it's working flat out to recycle all the empty plastic bottles being brought back to its water distribution sites. It is now asking consumers to make sure the water bottles are crushed and to keep hold of them for as long as possible. Full details about plastic bottle recycling can be found at www.recycleforgloucestershire.com

Recycle: Gloucestershire >

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APPEAL RAISES OVER 拢7000: Cirencester Rotary Club organised a street collection in Cirencester for the victims of the recent floods in Gloucestershire and a magnificent 拢7160.58 was raised with more money coming in each day. Rotary President elect Robin Levin said "We have been delighted by the success of the appeal, amazed by the generosity of individual contributors and the help provided by spouses, Inner Wheel and Soroptomists was much appreciated. We are also grateful for the rapid response of Cotswold District Council, Tesco and Waitrose in allowing the collections at very short notice". A report on the final sum collected and how it is spent will be made public at a later date.

Bogus callers alert

Andy Smith, Severn Trent's director of water services, is warning of the risk of bogus callers. He said: "We do have extra numbers of inspectors out checking the water supplies and pipe networks, but this means that customers should be very aware that this carries a higher risk of bogus callers, where con men pose as water officials.
"If anyone calls to your house saying they are from the water company you must ask to see ID. All genuine Severn Trent workers carry ID and will be happy to wait outside while you confirm their identity.听 If there is any doubt who the caller is KEEP THEM OUT.听Ring us on our customer call line 0800 783 4444 to check that they are who they claim to be or even ring the police (for non-life-threatening flood related incidents call 0800 092 0410 and not 0845 090 1234, the usual police number).
"We very much appreciate everyone's patience and good spirits and can reassure them that we will continue working round-the-clock to restore water supplies," added Andy.

ROYAL VISITS: Victims of Gloucestershire's floods and emergency crews had two Royal visitors on Friday. Prince Charles has visited Tewkesbury's Priors Park where he and his wife Camilla have met those affected by the floods in the town. Princess Anne was in Gloucester to meet businesses and homeowners flooded earlier this week. She first visited three businesses in Hempstad seeing three businesses badly affected by the water, and then she went to Cypress Gardens in Longlevens, a neighbourhood hit twice within a month by the brook bursting its banks.

CLEAN UP COST:听 The cost of Gloucestershire's clear up is put between 拢40m and 拢50m. That figure includes the 拢25m estimated to be spent repairing the county's roads. The county council have identified 100 sites that need major work, and the initial estimate equates to the entire road maintainance budget for the next 12 months.

CENTRAL NETWORK: Vital electricity safety advice for customers returning to flooded homes. Central Networks is urging homeowners affected by the recent floods to follow important safety advice. If homes and businesses have been flooded, the internal wiring needs to be thoroughly checked by an expert, once the water has receded. If your property has been flooded, customers are advised to follow the electricity safety steps:

Check your internal wiring

鈥� Regardless of whether your power has been switched on or off while your property has been flooded, customers need to get their internal wiring checked by an approved electrician. This is especially important where flood water has been above the level of electrical equipment within the property;
鈥� You will need to ensure you use a qualified electrician. Please check the local Yellow Pages for an approved electrician and ensure they are 鈥楶art P 鈥� Buildings Regulations鈥� registered if they need to replace internal wiring;
鈥� Customers should avoid touching electrical equipment that has been in contact with water and avoid plugging it in until it has been inspected by an electrician;

Mains electricity supply

鈥� Central Networks may need to check the incoming electricity supply in homes which have been flooded;
鈥� Our engineers will be working in the areas of flooding to complete these checks once the water levels have receded;
鈥� Please advise your neighbours who have not returned to a property which was flooded that Central Networks may require access to carry out this safety check;
鈥� If Central Networks鈥� mains equipment has been damaged by the flood waters, we may need to do some repair work which could result in a short power interruption to neighbouring homes. We will do everything we can to keep any disruption to a minimum.

Electricity meter

鈥� If your meter has been underwater or damaged by the flood waters you need to get it checked by your electricity supplier.听 A representative from your supplier will inspect the meter. Please check your latest electricity bill to find out who your supplier is.
鈥� If you need further information or advice, please call our Emergency Helpline on听 0800 096 1194;
鈥� If you are a single property still without an electricity supply, please call the same number to report the power loss and receive safety advice.

During the next few days, Central Networks representatives will be visiting the affected areas to offer advice and guidance to people returning to their homes.

now open Monday to Friday 8am 鈥� 5 pm and 8am 鈥� 4pm during the weekend.

WATER USE: Gloucestershire's Chief Constable, Dr Tim Brain confirmed that the water being delivered daily into Gloucestershire either in bottles or for bowser use was only a fraction of the usual daily ueage. The 6 million litres being distributed is only 5% of the 120 million litres normally pumped through the direct water supply system.

CHELTENHAM ANIMAL SHELTER is thanking all the individuals and companies that have rallied around to donate water and blankets to Cheltenham Animal Shelter over the past week. The Shelter itself has not been flooded, but staff have been working round the clock rescuing animals from flooded homes and other boarding kennels and catteries that have been flooded. They now have enough blankets to see them through the next week, and have plenty of containers to be able to collect water for the animals. If you would still like to donate to the Shelter, cash donations are very much appreciated. This money will go towards the costs associated with rescues that have taken place and the purchase of water rescue equipment. Donations can be made securely online at www.gawa.org.uk or in person at Cheltenham Animal Shelter, Gardener's Lane, Cheltenham, GL51 9JW.

TAX: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced measures to help people, affected by the floods, pay their tax bills. Revenue and Customs will be able to waive interest and surcharges on tax paid late due to the floods. Customers are being asked to let the their tax office know as soon as possible, whether they've been affected.

INQUIRY: A parliamentary inquiry is to be held into the flooding which has devastated Gloucestershire. It will be carried out by the Commons Environment Committee. Its chairman - the Conservative MP Michael Jack - says he thinks the government should already be spending more on drainage:

ROYAL AID: The Queen has made a private donation to the Red Cross Appeal for those affected by the floods.听 She is Patron of the Red Cross. It's also been announced that The Prince of Wales will visit flood victims in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire on Friday. On Wednesday The Queen sent a message of sympathy to those affected by the severe floods of the past week. It reads: "I have been shocked by the news and pictures of the devastation caused by the severe flooding across the country. My thoughts are with those who have lost family or friends, whose homes or livelihoods have been damaged, and all those who have been displaced by these events.听May I also express my admiration for the emergency services, the local authorities and volunteers working tirelessly to help those affected. To everyone concerned with the relief efforts I send my heartfelt thanks."

PM'S PROMISE: The Prime Minister, on his second visit to flood striken Gloucestershire, has thrown his weight behind the flood relief effort. On his arrival at Gold Command in Waterwells on Wednesday he was told drinking water was still in short supply.听 Phone calls were immediately made to the Civil Contingency Unit in London and Mr Brown afterwards promised far more water deliveries and as many as 900 more bowsers on the streets.听Although bowsers - which hold gallons of fresh water for households - have been made available on streets across the county, they often empty out very quickly.听Severn Trent say they are aiming to refill them four or five times a day but this has proved difficult.听

FLOOD DEFENCES STRENGTHENED: Work has begun on a more permanent barrier of rubble and sand around the Walham electricity sub-station just west of Gloucester. The aluminium barriers put up on Sunday have been taken down and replaced by a semi permanent barrier. Reinforcements will also be put in place at the Castlemead sub-station - which also proved vulnerable to flood water at the weekend - and the Mythe water treatment plant in Tewkesbury.

CASH AID FOR BUSINESS: The South West Regional Development Agency is making up to 拢2 million available to help support those businesses hit by the current flooding in Gloucestershire. The money听 will provide support to both small and medium sized companies to implement recovery plans.

POLICE URGE PATIENCE: Chief Constable Dr Tim Brain has urged people to exercise restraint and patience when queueing for water. He admitted that the police had received reports of disorder and what he called "selfish behaviour". Dr Brain said they were aware of the distribution and replenishment problem with the bowsers and were working with Severn Trent and the military to improve that.听听

AID FOR SCHOOLS: Gloucestershire schools hit by the floods could gain from a 拢4million government flood relief package. Schools minister Ed Balls announced the cash for schools hit by flooding over the past few days. It comes on top of the 拢10m already up for grabs after similar flooding in Yorkshire, Humberside and the West Midlands. 鈥淚t is far too early to have a comprehensive assessment but it is clear that areas flooded since last Friday and still under water are dealing with a number of damaged schools and children鈥檚 services 鈥� with some who could be teaching in temporary accommodation well into the September term," he said.

BUSINESS AID: Small businesses affected by the flooding are being offered short term, interest free loans of up to 5-thousand pounds. The Federation of Small Businesses has established a half million pound fund to help businesses across the county survive over the next few weeks while they're seeking other funding. Paul Gough of the Federation says the scale of the problem across the county is severe.

FIRE SERVICE:听 The strain on Gloucestershire's Fire Service has been described as "unprecedented" by the Fire Brigades Union. Around a quarter of the number of calls expected in a year were received in just 48 hours.听 The FBU says members have dealt with flooding hell. The emergency control centre took more than 2,000 in two days. Annually they deal with between 8,000 and 9,000. Hundreds of people have been rescued and 22 high volume pumps have come from all over the country, brought by firefighters from as far afield as Cumbria. An FBU spokesman says there will still be many challenging days ahead, but he wanted to add reassurance saying the local emergency services will always be here to help.

The situation is changing all the time - please listen to 麻豆约拍 Radio Gloucestershire for minute-by-minute updates on the flood crisis and the water and power supply around the county - click on the Listen Live link on this page or tune in on:

104.7 FM and 1413 AM

95 FM Stroud and 95.8 FM in Cirencester

听

last updated: 08/10/2008 at 12:05
created: 23/07/2007

Have Your Say

Adrian montagu
the floods were terrifing...this guy down my road was flooded so he used up all of his insurance...then he got flooded again. poor guy

Disappointed of Worcestershire
I live in one of the many villages to the west of the River Severn that also lost their water supply due to the flooding of the Mythe Water Treatment plant. Whilst Severn Trent Water, understandably, focused on the majority of people affected in Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester & the rest of the county, a number of people in south Worcestershire were all but ignored by the company. Whilst information on websites, TV & radio, along with bowsers & bottled water were made available almost immediately for residents of Gloucestershire, no information, let alone water of any kind, was provided to people in Worcestershire. All the bowser locations listed on the Severn Trent Water website were in Gloucestershire and contact with the company was reduced to automated telephone & email messages.My council, Malvern Hills District Council, clearly was not organising water for residents either because it did not know if there where any bowsers located in south Worcestershire during the first week and, helpfully, suggested contacting Severn Trent. To be fair, last week a member of the Customer Service Centre was able to say that, "After consulting with colleagues, I believe that bowsers have been located in the vicinity of Bushley, Eldersfield and Longdon but I do not have precise locations". Three bowsers for south Worcestershire, compared to 1,300 in Gloucestershire. Oh! Ambassador you do spoil us.....if you live in those villages, that is!! Bottled water, eventually, found its way over the Severn & was made available during last week from Forthampton.The Mythe's flooding left many people, some of whom are elderly, disabled or housebound, to fend for themselves during the last few weeks. So much for all the millions that taxpayers have paid on contingency planning for terrorism & disasters since 9/11. The Chief of Gloucestershire Constabulary did not even know that the Mythe provided water to Gloucester. I guess it went on organising all the choppers they have used to fly Ministers to meaningless, staged media appearances to roll out trite clich茅s & deny that Gordon Brown actually cut emergency funding whilst Chancellor. New Labour's Britain...SNAFU!! Thank God we do not experience natural disasters on the scale of the floods in Asia.

v
we still have a bowser by us, severn trent say they are 150 short, this bowser only arrived 8 days ago and has remained where the lorry delivered it. Maybe severn trent should have kept a list of where they put them (this would have helped them fill them also) in fact i have seen loads still in situ.

reconnected2
Yes! Finally we can come back to normal teeth washing!But I still don't understand two things:1)ST announced they would publish on this website areas where water is safe to drink with their postcodes. Today they say it's the whole of the county. 2)Why the bottled water still keeps to be distributed (I have nothing against it, don't get me wrong)if we can safely drink the tap water now?The website states it will continue till the incident finishes. What 'incident'? I thought it has already finished with the 'tab water' ban being uplifted?

Emma
Sorry, Sick of Boiling, but a child can be washed with a cloth and a small amount of water, during a crisis like this. It will take more time, with four, I appreciate! But there should be no need to buy anything extra, or expect compensation. Fifty years ago, we managed with just one bath a week, and even shared the water - yes, it sounds disgusting, doesnt it, but we had no choice then. And in the last two weeks = just two weeks in a life - we have had to conserve and put up with a little inconvenience. i dont think we should be thinking of compensation but just be grateful for what we usually have - copious amounts of water - and grateful that so many people have worked hard to ensure that we had enough to drink, to cook with and to keep at least reasonably clean. And now we have as much water as we want and will no doubt waste it, despite this lesson we have learned, that we are so very lucky to have so much.

Martin
No doubt Revenue and Customs will be pleased with all that VAT money that people will have to pay on repairs following the floods. Another case of the government gaing from peoples misfortune!

Diane, Cheltenham Volunteer Centre
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED please sign up to our Match Database so that we can email you with any 'one off' volunteering needs. No commitment and no pressure. We will email you and if you can help that's great, if you can't - don't worry - maybe next time.Thank you

Sick of Boiling
I don't like drinking hot drinks therefore don't own a kettle. Because of this incident i have had to buy 4 of them in order for my children to have a bath everyday. Will Severn Trent compensate me for this inconvenience? Is there anyone else out there that has had to pay for similar unnecessary items?

Brian
Are Sainsburys exploiting the water shortage situation? On 24 Jul, when bottled water was only beginning to be issued, we bought 6 x 1.5 litre bottles from Sainsburys for 拢2.99; today it is retailing at 拢1.99 for 6 x 2 litres or 79p for 5 litres!

Jean
I agree with you, Maureen, that we should thank Severn Trent for the brilliant organisation and provision of safe the temporary supplies and their meticulous advice and instruction, after this totally unforseen freak weather, and to consider how lucky we are not to be in Napal, Bangladesh, or China (which has only been reported on the world servic4e) where millions are homeless due to widespread flooding, and where they do not have the infrastructure to put temporary help in place. There are appeals to help and before anyone says we should help people in Gloucestershire, not India, I would say we should help both: Charity begins at home, but does not end there......

Neil
Maureen, you are missing the point. The fact is that Severn Trent failed to provide any contingency plans for any number of unforseen emergencies (Major fire, terrorist activity, sabotage, accidental explosion, pollution - being just some) which may have rendered the Mythe Treatment Works ineffective. It has been alleged that they were deliberately negligent in order to maximise profits for Director bonuses and shareholder profits. These are valid points which, in the public interest, must be investigated. This is not "moaning or grouching" as you put it.

Maureen
When will all the moaners and grouchers learn that sometimes things happen which are nobody's fault. I have lived in this area for over fifty years and have never seen rain like this. One off events do happen, and it is so easy for everyone to have hind sight. I would like to thank Severn Trent for the way in which this crisis has been handled, and compare what happened here to the chaos in New Orleans. Just count your blessings that we don't live in the US.

Neil
At 10.10am on Sunday 5 August, the Severn Trent spokesman states that water should be fit to drink straight from the tap, "sometime next week". Does he mean this week, or next week, which is the week commencing 12 August? Clear up this ambiguity Severn Trent!

Keith Likeman
Fill a baking tray full with water then place a house brick in it and amazinmgly you can see the effect of building on the flood areas around Tewkesbury

EF
I live in Bushley Green near Tewkesbury and we have had NO tap water for the last 12 days. Severn Trent Water seem unable to provide explanations as to why this is so, and we are given conflicting reports daily. This evening I discovered they were attempting to empty our designated bowser, ready for collection tonight. Will we ever see tap water again?!Saturday 4th August 2007

Guy Williams, Royal Forest of Dean
Although the Pubs have finally reopened, my local is serving beer in plastic glasses. I hope that the tap water is soon given the all clear so we can have real glass glasses. At least we can pop out for a roll up now the rain has subsided. We are better off than the poor Chinamen who are in real trouble with their floods so let's not get too disgruntled.

Alison, Bussage
I am confused about washing clothes. Can i use a 40 degree wash or does it have to be 60 degrees like i have heard and read in some places. I wish i could find a clear answer!!

Tim
I live in Hatherley and we have no water again today (Saturday) :-( Anyone know what's going on?

Richard
It's 0918 on Saturday morning and our water is off . . . is it just me or what?! Is this going to last long :( - Up Hatherley Cheltenham?

Hamstall
E. Modern kettles often do not boil water at all. The automatic cut-off switches off as soon as water vapour makes contact with a bimetallic strip, so some of the water may not have reached boiling point. A two minute boil in a saucepan or a hob-kettle is adequate to kill most bugs and drive off excess chlorine. Hope this helps. H

reconnected2
(...my computer closed the website...)they justify that with 'extraordinary circumstances-such as these'.But these could have been forseen, as Tewkesbury gets flooded regulary and this year we had steady heavy rainfall since June. I am disappointed.

E
Great to get back to normal! (ish) but I got mixed up and just did the washing up straight from the taps....am I going to get sick now?Our electricity and gas bills will increase due to all this boiling we are now going to have to do. Is it ok to just boil in the kettle or are we talking about a 5 minute boil?... tsk, I'm off to find a bowser, I know where I am with that!

Neil
Severn Trent still talk about this emergency as if flooding were the only unforseen event which could render the Mythe plant inoperative for a long period - they clearly never considered major fire, terrorist activity (now the whole world knows that almost a whole County is dependent upon one water treatment plant), sabotage by disgruntled employee(s), aircraft crashing into the plant. The fact remains that they have been criminally negligent by continual cost-cutting which has left them running on a shoestring and unable to cope in an emergency. Thank goodness we still have an Army, Navy and Air Force - it is they who have pulled Severn Trent's irons out of the fire.

Brian
In Silmbridge, we were told that we were affected and our water would run out, but it hasn't. We're now wondering, though, should we be drinking it, or is the "unsafe" water now likely to be coming out through our taps? Since no bowsers have been delivered, or any arrangements for bottled water to be supplied to our knowledge, we are assuming the water remains safe, but it would be nice for a clear confirmation of whether we really are safe or not.

Andy
In 1947 Tewkesbury didn't have anywhere near the number of buildings on the flood plain as there are now. During the recent heavy rainfal, there were still three days between when the rain fell and the flooding. Why was sensitive electronic equipment not moved higher ? Why wasn't an attempt made at a temporary flood defence. Severn Trent do not get off that easily by claiming it was an 'act of God'. I know a builder who worked on the upgrade to the Mythe site - work was halted for three weeks due to waterlogging back then. It has come close to flooding in the past, and nothing was done to make it safer. This outage was entirely preventable.

Anon
I feel severn trent water have been fantastic throughout this whole incident. Particularly with reference to the refilling of bowsers and the distribution of bottled water. People don't understand the scale of the incident and how difficult it has been for STW to deal with such a thing.

RP
Those that clear the shelves through greed are those that do not have the basic survival skill set to survive.....There are a growing number of us that are very much looking forward to when the meteorite strikes. Then we will see who survives!Bring back National Conscription and give the weakest and newest members of our country a sense of esprit de corps as well as a long over due measure of discipline!

Kevin
A very good point by 'reconnected2'. Will Severn Trent pay out for the days that we are without DRINKING water?! Personally I would intend to donate any compensation to Water Aid (as this crisis has made me realise just how blessed we are to normally receive limitless drinking water straight into our homes), but I do think that, on principle, this PLC should be held accountable to individual customers through the means which has been set out by the regulator...

Len
To all those having a go at STW because they "didn't take precauations/do a risk assessment/etc/etc"... The water treatment plant at Mythe has been there since long before the last major flods of 1947, and has never previously been subject to the significnat flood problem encountered this year. The facility was safe based on the information available before 20 July. No doubt a reassessment will be made after the recent events, but even the most doom-laden soothsayer could not have predicted this. Even Swindon, an area not know for its risk of flood, had major problems 2 weeks ago. We can't blame ST entirely for a freak act of nature

sophie
as we know the floods started on the 20th of july. well on the 21st it was my bithday.Although that weekend was the beginning of a devestating time for all of us and i sympathise dearly for all that were affected, and i hope you can get back on track. also, it makes you realise how important are water is to us and it makes you think about all people in poverty who starv and have to drink dirty and unclean water, which mostly carry diseases.

reconnected2
It seems to me that we've come to a standstill. After the last homes are getting reconnected, still STW are unable to tell us when the tab water will be drinkable. Vague statement:'water samples will be examined by STW employees over the weekend' doesn't really explain much to me. I am just wandering whether in my next water bill they will charge me separately for 'drinkable water'and 'water good for showering and flushing the toilets only'? Probably not, but I've read from one of the comments that it is possible to claim back the money off ST for the time we didn't have any water. Can anybody tell me how to do it? Is there any website where the claim procedure is explained?

Hamstall
Well observed, "Mike from Cheltenham". Unfortunately there should be an apostrophe after the word "masses" in your comment indicating a possessive.

Nigel Dobbie
I live in Corse Lawn and we still have no running water. Forthampton the next village one way and Tirley the other way both had running water last Friday.Severn Trent don't seem to know why or when it will be fixed despite 3 calls today.We have been collecting bottled water from Forthampton Post Office but they currently don't have any.Getting rather * (expletive) off with Severn Trent and their claims of "98%" reconnected.

Diane, Cheltenham Volunteer Centre
CHELTENHAM VOLUNTEER CENTRE would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has volunteered with the manning of water stations. You have been brilliant.We are still taking names for the rota so please phone on 01242 257727 or email on enquiries@volunteeringcheltenham.org.uk

Elly
In my humble opinion-(analogy: If a large building has no fire escape plan/route, warning alarm, smoke detectors or fire fighting equipment, we would NEVER accept that provision for safety had been implemented. As fire would be the most likely threat to the building's users.)'Risk Assessments' are commonplace and part of Health and Safety checking but so far, RA are associated with risks to people directly. There should be more focus on Risk Assessment regarding threat to life if such an important commodity is lost.ST had absolutely NO contingency plan to cope with the obvious hazards and problems that could throw themselves up to damage that plant and subsequently cut this vast area off - it seems that no RISK ASSESSMENT of this type was made. It is common sense that being near to two rivers that the first threat to the plant would be flood. It was open to other threats also. From now on I suspect things will be much improved regarding the 'security' of the plant. Also, I hope that legislation regarding RA will now change due to this crisis. Hats off though! it has been a mammoth task to get these bowsers here and filled. They got things running again ahead of schedule so well done all those who have put there backs into getting the water back...have a well earned holiday now guys!

reconnected2
can sb.tell me the truth whether it is really safe to bathe in that water?Two of my friends already got a stomach bug,because they somehow must have drunk it. May be we should carry on using the bowser water & flannel to wash?

Neil
Yes Mike, not only the spelling, but also the English grammar, it is appalling.

peter
Replacement wiring is not notifiable unless it is in a kitchen bathroom or other special area

J.S.Talin
Roger GrettonWinchcombe had an idependent water supply (ask any old timer). It was Sewage Trent that disconnected it.

Mike from Cheltenham
I cannot believe the standard of spelling in many of the masses comments. No wonder we are fast approaching a third world country.

reconnected
I am one of the lucky ones who were reconnected yesterday but I urge people with young babies or those with sensitive skin to be cautious when using the tap water to wash...it's made members of my family itch and caused burning sensations particularly on the face. This I guess is bound to happen with the amount of chemicals in it but I do think this should be added to the warnings we have been issued.

nelly
no water at the taps all week. no bowser on my estate in cheltenham. arrive home today to see a big army tanker full of water......great, i'll get a bucket. go in the house... , try the tap. water at the taps.. o well they tried.

Alison, Bussage
I meant to say that the water seemed to be coming back Tues 4pm.

Alison, Bussage
I just heard the cisterns on our toilets starting to fill up. A pleasant surprise as I didn't think we were coming on till at least Thursday. I am just concerned why we can shower in water but not drink in it? i have seen various explanations and some quite frankly scare me - biohazards??? I wish Severn Trent could give a clearer explanation. I would like to thank the RAF/Army and police who have been giving out water in Bussage and Stroud.

Elinor
When is water due back in Painswick?? Everyone seems to have forgotten about it! we're still here, and without water.

Mary - Winchcombe
It would not be in the interests of any business, including Severn Trent, to risk causing such chaos and turmoil we are experiencing and as they are experiencing as they strive to reintroduce water supplies and keep us supplied in the meantime! The current services have supplied us well until this meteorological disaster. You cannot say on the one hand that the floods and the subsequent spoiling of the water was caused by the weather (which it was) and at the same time blame ST. Can you? None of us have ever known such a fall of rain and could not have known the extent of the damage it would cause. Over countless millions of years, populations have lived and been wiped out - always by the weather! Hopefully, it wont happen to us! I hope our experience will cause us to think about how lucky we are, most of the time, to have such copious amounts of water, water of a very high grade, and to be prepared to consider ways of conserving it in the future. I wonder, when the water is back on, flowing and clean, how long we will remember what a precious comodity it is, and the enormity of the work that is done to bring it to our homes. And if there are ingenious new proposals to provide a two-teir system of water- some high grade for drinking and some lower quality (and therefore cheaper to provide) for all other uses, I hope we will be willing to pay for it. Everyone that I have met at the bowsers have been so appreciative, have enjoyed the social occasion that it has been become - meeting at the watering hole - and have reflected on how wasteful we generally are......thats it.

roger gretton
What does it mean when Severn Trent say Winchcombe will be one of the last areas to be reconnected - don't they have a day in mind? Why a company that makes 拢300m profit can't supply simple area specific information to it's customers is beyond me. All of the other services have come out of this really well but Severn Trent has just confirmed my view that they're penny pinching incompetents with a serious lack of local knowledge.

Anthony, Bishops Cleeve
The water is back on in my area which is great. My personal take on all this? There is not a lot that can be done about the weather, but the directors of ST dropped the ball. In their pursuit of profit they took a gamble on having the minimum number of pumping stations they needed to get the job done. The gamble failed because it flooded and they did not invest a few extra 拢's in flood defences or by building it above the flood plain, and this is the result. The contingency plan worked and people had water, the community rallied round to help the less able and no-one has a shortage of water (really, I think some people's expectations have been a little lofty...when the water is cut off do you really expect to have the same amount you always used just supplied in bottles or bowsers??) so all in all I think we as the people of north gloucestershire have coped. My thanks to the nice people in the community, the emergency services, army, 麻豆约拍 Radio Glos, Severn Trent workers and even some parts of the government! The only people at fault here are the mindless minority of idiots, the directors of ST who made a serious misjudgement and the government who have allowed a situation to take place where an essential public service is run for profit rather than for the benefit of the people.

Elly
In my haste to write/type, my spelling is awful ! Just want to point that out! I should check things before I post them. no excuse, sorry!

Edith
Nice sentiment, John - but I don't think Severn Trent were responsible for the Dome!

John
Why is such a vast area of Gloucestershire solely dependant on the Mythe Works for Water? Cost Cutting Probably! Penny wise and a pound foolish. Other subsidary plants in less vulnerable locations should be built, and no more money wasted on stupid projects like the Millenium Dome.

LYN CINDEREY
I would very much like to do a FREE Ghost walk on Weds 1st August BUT would like people to DONATE some money to the Mayors Flood Relief Fund. I want as many people as possible to come, of course the more that come the more money donated.I Want to do this in an Official and Professional Manner.I Have asked Coun Paul James to come along and he has very kindly said yes I Want people to know that the money is NOT going into my pocket so i need someone Official to be there to except money, cheques etc.I Feel very Strongly about helping people in a crisis and felt really helpless as to what to do, so when i saw the Mayor on TV i thought, that 's it that's the way to go. Please just turn up at 8.00pm outside the Tourist Information Centre.Southgate StreetKindestRegards Lyn Cinderey.G.G.W. Gloucester Ghost Walks

Michael Gardiner
To continue to build new properties on land in areas suseptible to flooding (ie Flood Plains) as has been advised by the Housing Minister we will have to put up with to enable the Labour Goverment to reach its targets for house building in future years would be absolutely CRIMINAL. People have already suffered in some areas such as Cypress Gardens where this fact has been ignored, and for the sake of achieving their goals to expect people to buy propeties on land where they are likely to suffer the same miseries in the future would be an absolute travesty.

Elly
To 'roland': All the affected people of Gloucestershire have dealt with this 'crisis' in the best way they can. If somebody wants to vent off, they are entitled to. There ARE serious questions that should be answered regarding such a wide area being suddenly without water and the implications for this happening again, the lessons learned, the issues arrising. True hardship needs a voice, this 'forum' is for that. May I suggest that you go a little more easy on the people affected as you demand that those very same people go easy on the water utility company! We all give heartfelt thanks to the Army, to all the volunteers and charities and individuals that have shown a glowing spirit of help in this very unusal and unpresidented crisis. That feeling of gratitude is shared by all!

dave and jordan
are we sad? During the crisis in Gloucester we have been looking and taking photos of Bowsers, is it just us or do other people do this?

JohnDK - Cheltenham
Further to my previous criticism of Severn Trent I'd like to clarify that this was directed only at the Directors and not at the other workers and engineers who have done a sterling job in getting the bowsers in place and the Mythe Works back in operation - Well done to all of you

Andrew
Just to add insult to injury the water bill arrived today!

SM
Monday evening (30th) and still no water! When it comes back I will definitely treat it like the precious resource it is.However, well done to the ST engineers who I'm sure have worked themselves to a standstill to get Mythe on line asap. Don't blame them, it's just a pity those at the top of their company seem to have been caught napping on this one.Trouble is, those of us affected are less than 10% of ST's customers and less than 0.5% of the UK population - what chance of ST or the government spending serious money helping "the minority"?? Whether we know it, like it or want it some of us will have our pensions funds invested in good old ST - perhaps we should lobby our pensions companies to shift the money somewhere else unless ST stomp up for some flood defences - that might worry them. Or what if everyone in this part of the world committed to vote for the Green party unless the government do the same - hit the politicians in their comfortable majorities! (And no I don't have a vested interest I'm a disillusioned Labour voter). A few thank you's - to our often criticised Armed Forces, emergency services and volunteers who have shown Severn Trent how to run a logistical operation, and to 麻豆约拍 Gloucestershire who showed them how to run a communications one. Are you watching ST? Finally my heart goes out to those with flooded houses - thankfully I was spared that, it was just the car that floated away!

ASIF
I have stockpiled loads of water and i recycle it too

Sally
Well said Roland!!!! I couldn't agree more, it's a pity the whingers weren't more appreciative of the wonderful effort behind this crisis.

PRINCE
I HAVE TO SAY BEING A RESIDENT OF HUCCLECOTE AND HAVING NO WATER SINCE LAST SUNDAY I FEEL SEVERN TRENT HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I HAVE 4 YOUNG CHILDREN AND WE HAVE NEVER BEEN WITHOUT WATER. WE HAVE COLLECTED WATER FOR OUR ELDERLY NEIGHDOUR WHO HAS STRUGGLED TO COLLECT FROM BOWSERS. WELL DONE SEVERN TRENT YOU HAVE NOT LET US DOWN IN A CRISIS.

Ian , Bishops Cleeve
This crisis has shown how well our local emergency services, local councils and other relevant agencies, can respond in such a well co-ordinated manner. An excellent logistical effort.Also hats off to 99% of the public who have shown great patience and understanding, as usual its the 1% of idiots who whinge and moan because there not getting what they want and probably arent paying for anyway.

Neil
To Roland: - your letter is rather dominated by I this, I that and I, the other. Of course nature is to blame for the rain, but the utility companies are to blame for not having contingency plans in hand for any number of unforseen emergencies which may put their plants out of action on along-term basis. The Emergency Services have done an excellent that is for sure - but that does not include Severn Trent Management or Communications Depts.

roland
This crisis has once again shown that our country is made up of two sorts of people. Firstly the vast majority of those that can improvise and get on with life, and secondly, the wingers and moaners who take the most and give the least in return. There is no shortage of drinking water and coupled with the good fortune of having local springs and rainwater, I could go on indefinetly.I live high on the escarpment, so once everyone else has gone mad with having their supplies reinstated, my area will probably be one of the last groups to get our water back. There's nothing I can do about that but wait and be thankfull. Nobody's to blame for this crises. So "hats off" to the authorities for doing an excellent job and two fingers to the wingers.

Elly
When Cheltenham gets mains water supply back, is Seven Trent taking into account that many households who are 'metered' will be paying for water that is not fit for human consumption? Does ST have any comment to make on this? I realise these are difficult times but ordinarily, we would never be expected to pay for 'contaminated' water, would we?

Mark
When the 'flu comes it will be a lot worse.

Rosemary Lewis
Thanks to 麻豆约拍 for undates,Special thanks to all Severn Trent staff and local police for organising a brilliant service during this crisis, and for working so hard for all of us. Much appreciated.

Ashley Williams, Cheltenham
Its now monday and about 1am in the moring the water in Cheltenham came back yay :D

Ben
In answer to Rob's query, I think most of these stories have been wildly exagerated urban myths. Shops have been selling mineral water at their usual prices - which isn't exactly cheap. But it's people's choice to buy from them.

KW
My heart goes out to those who have lost everything, we in Cheltenham are so lucky to have suffered only relatively minor inconvenience. My hope is that those who have made things more difficult by fouling the bowser water, sabotaging the bowsers and just being downright greedy with the amount of water that they have taken will someday get their just deserts!!!!!!!!

John {living in Bishops Cleeve}
Thanks and congratulations to all at 麻豆约拍 Radio Gloucestershire for the outstanding and really magnificent public service so enthusiastically and cheerfully given over the last 10 days. Your staff are a great credit to the 麻豆约拍 and the helpful {and indeed I suspect in some cases life saving } contributions made by your people make the entire annual 麻豆约拍 licence fee seem outstanding value. WELL DONE INDEED.

Concerned Consumer
If we all buy shares in Severn Trent (although I would say this is probably not the best of investments) we could put together a consortium and sack the fat cat bosses. Let's hope they realise this

Adrian
Great to read that water is coming back but what about Cheltenham and Stroud? We appear to have been forgotten all over again!! Even a vague suggestion as to when supplies will be reinstated would be good.

rob
Just wondering if anyone out-there, can confirm any incidents of profiteering by unscrupulous shops and individuals. I've heard two tales so-far of a shop selling water for 拢8 a bottle and of an individual selling bowser water for 拢15 a bottle. With all the community spirit that has been evident, seeing people looking-out for one another, it is amazing that certain sicko's can get away with water extortion like this.

P
My heartfelt sympathies to anyone flooded out or now clearing up after the floods.Our best wishes to you all. For the rest of us it has been an enormous learning curve, having been without water for a week up to now (Sunday), I've found it has been an educational as well as challenging experience. Is anyone else shocked at just how much water we need daily, let alone how much we must have used before cut off? We had thankfully recently installed a water-butt to collect rainwater, however I'll never turn a tap on again without thinking twice about using this valuable resource.Many, many thanks to everyone who has been working to help us in this crisis, including some young lads at our local stores who volunteered to carry the water for anyone needing a helping hand. Despite a very small number of vandals, water 'hoggers' and profiteers the vast majority of people have been helpful and stoic. Most people are trying hard to make the best of a difficult situation and just want to get back to some semblance of normality. Well done Radio Glos. I am now converted. Your coverage has been invaluable - a REAL public service.

mandie
we live in winchcombe,do we exist and when will we get tap water back?

Andy
Although this has been a crisis I don't think anyone could have planned for it. I think everyone has done a fantastic job and although frustrating at times you shouldn't forget the amount of effort all these people have put in.Those people without water should spare a thought for all those people that have been flooded.

Sean
It is great that bottled water is being supplied to those of us who need it. But does anyone else think there are people taking advantage? I have just walked past Abbeydale community centre, where water is being handed out. Children and youths were taking packets of water and just having one bottle and throwing the rest in the park. On my way back there were half full bottles thrown on the path and numereous empty bottles thrown by the stream.I realise it must be difficult getting bottled water from all sorts of sources, but it might be better to give out large bottles so children don't take them. Or only hand out to adults.

robin corti
Many years ago I worked on the major rebuild of the mythe water treatment works.During the many years that I was there I volunteered to help 3rd Tewksbury Scouts on evenings when I was free and did not have meetings to attend back in London where I was a Scout District Commissioner.I was particulary delighted to see in todays Sunday papers a story about the good work being done by 3rd Tewksbury Scouts over the period of the current floods and I am sure you will all join me in wising them every good wish for the future .Robin Corti

sheila
I would like to thank my friends who have helped me with the loan of their washing machines during the crisis. Also to the ever increasing supply of bottled water thas has been made available.

soph
does any1 have a clue when the waters actually comin back on cus this is doin my hed in

Neil
Not having had a proper bath or shower since Monday, on Wednesday I travelled by train to Plymouth and back. Nobody sat next to me during the entire journey - I wonder why?

Elly
: ( Last night I put a big container outside to collect the rain for my loo. Went to collect it and found that Sombody has stolen it! Not a drop left, empty - how nasty of someone!

Anne - Leckhampton
We seem to have some water supply restored.I have found your web site accurate and invaluable during the last week. We would like to thank ALL the services, volunteers, neighbours and overseas teams for doing a great job. Hope everyone has water soon.

Andy Longlevens
SB Wrote "Mythe works hasn't flooded in 100 years of service, and the recent rain was an extraordinary and unforeseeable event"Mythe works was waterlogged during its recent upgrade, causing a three week delay in construction, almost flooded in 2000, and again in 2001. It is in the worst possible location in a known severe flood zone where the Severn and Avon meet. When Severn Trent were warned about last week's flooding they had plenty of time to erect a flood barrier and remove sensitive electronic equipment. They did none of these things. But hey don't worry, they still are on course to make a 拢300 million profit, and if anyone suggests a flood defence the Government have lept in to suggest we should pay for it with higher bills - not ST's shareholders. This is despite Severn Trent removing other treatment works at Dowdeswell in Cheltenham, removing many local staff at Staverton, and removing storage at Robinswood hill - all to increase profits. They can't fill the bowsers on time, seem to have dumped many in the wrong place, and aren't delivering to the vulnerable despite their responsibility to do so.They only care about profits, and Ofwat who are supposed to regulate them are nowhere to be seen.

2342 (Innsworth) Sqn Air Training Corps
My unit have been assisting at the bottled water station at Hurrans for a few days. Thanks to the many who arrive in good spirit, doors unlocked or windows down so that we can place bottle packs in your cars. Stay in the vehicle and be ready to return to the road. We are trying to do it quickly and carefully, but 10lb of water in thin plastic wrapping sometimes has a mind of it's own, so please keep your seats free of fragile items. If you drop in, please don't stare at the pallets of water bottles and ignore the marshalling staff of TBC/ATC/Volunteers. Look up, follow the arm wavers, and we'll get you filled up fast and on your way.Hurrans is still open for business, and there are parking spaces set aside - please pop in; they have surrendered their car park, facilities, staff and vehicles to the relief effort, frequently late into the night and early morning, and have catered for volunteer staff into the bargain. Our female colleagues love flowers!

Brenda Powell
The bowser in Priory Walk was empty for 3 days rang the hotline and within 15 minutes was being refilled well done the men from Lincoln who didn't know the area but sorted us out thank you

John DK - Cheltenham
I worked all my working life (I'm now retired) in Private Industry and we always had to have Disaster Recovery plans in place which were reviewed and updated on a regular basis. Obviosly Severn Trent did not have such plans inplace or we would not be in our current situation. In my view the entire Board of ST should be sacked ( by the Govt. who must be able to introduce some Law to enable them to do this) and the profits for ST seized and used to pay for the damage caused by this disaster.Somebody must be accountable for this debacle and in my view it is ST and their grossly overpaid Directors and Shareholder

Janet
I've been really shocked at how many times I've seen burly blokes loading two or more huge containers of water from a bowser into their cars. No wonder the bowsers run out so quickly. So far I've found the daily hand out of bottled water more than adequate for drinking, cooking and dishwashing. I'm using water from a nearby brook to flush the loo and rainwater to wash me and my clothes. There are people who aren't able to carry bottled water back from the distribution points, or who don't have gardens where they can collect rainwater and they are therefore totally dependant on the bowsers. Think of them before you drive round every bowser in town taking more than you need.

Brian & Becky
We would like to express a huge thankyou to all our friends for their offers of showers and washing, we realy appretiate it. At times like these you know who your friends are.THANKYOU.We would also like to thank all the agencies for their sterling work, its hard to plan for this type of event, but we must learn from it.

Tim Smith
I hope that Gloucestershire Constabulary will invoice Severn Trent for the cost of policing the water emergency.

Michelle Stone, General Manager Winfield
I can confirm that due to lack of running water, Winfield hospital has been forced to temporarily close. The switchboard will be manned from monday 30th July between 9am and 5pm for further advice and information regarding rearrangent of appointments. Management and staff would like to apologise but patient safety remains our top priority, and without running water we are unable to safely run outpatient clinics or theatre. Please see our website for further information www.capio.co.uk.

Irene ..Cheltenham
Tried to contact "Diane Cheltenham Voulunteer Centre but the email address appears not to be correct....

jane
Having lived in Israel for a time (where water is always an issue) I am just so pleased that people in the UK have rallied round Gloucestershire and helped us. We are still getting water! So be greatful that others care enough to want to help us.

Elly
With more rain on the way, it occurred to me to share one little and very effective job that I have assigned myself: Our Street wasn鈥檛 flooded too badly in the floods last Friday but what caused a problem was BLOCKED STREET DRAINS. Leaf debris was washing into the gratings and backing the water up and over the road. This Thursday, I got out there with my rubber gloves and scooped the leaves out of the drains, as the road was once again flooding from this. I鈥檝e now put myself on DRAIN WATCH for the coming rains this weekend. If we all did this, some of the flooding might be prevented or at least, reduced.

iain hughes
Just like to say your radio station is great keeping me up to date as im a lorry driver bringing in pallets of water so keep up your good work and to say to your catch ment area we are working round the clock to keep water supplies going

Diane Cheltenham Volunteer Centre
Volunteers needed to help at the 5 water bottle distribution stations in Cheltenham. Please email enquiries@volunteeringcheltenham.org.uk or phone 01242 257727

Stinking in Ashchurch, Tewkesbury!
No water since Monday - bowsers arrived on Thursday. Where is our 'grey water' Severn Trent??? Apparently we're not on your map as being affected, yet here we are 2 days later without. Your timetable for recovery remains as elusive as the water!

Robin Burton
We have seen some praise worthy responses to the current situation with local people responding unbelievably well.However the events do throw up some serious concerns about the management of the utilities and the Government departments that are supposed to watch over them.There is no doubt that the response has been energetic from the utilities. But is also has the air of improvisation. Shortages of bowsers, lack of the right type of trucks to deliver them and even a lack of drivers qualified to deliver them all speak of a deplorable lack of planning.It must be the first responsibility of any CEO of a vital utility to consider and plan for the loss of key installations.. whether to flood, fire, sabotage or even an aircraft crash. Even if we had adequate flood defences, some other unexpected thing could happen to deny use the use of a key plant.What would happen if two or more of our most vital installations were to fail? What if they were completely destroyed rather than simply damaged?In our business of designing telecom software systems we are always looking at points of failure. We try to build in resilience so that the failure of any one component or element does not lead to failure of service.Why is it so hard for Severn Trent to do the same?

sandra Davies
Flood water could be pumped into bowsers to be used for grey water thus removing water from flooded fields and towns.Every one should be encouraged to have water buts.Why are electricity and water plants always at the waters edge,perhaps it's time to move them to safer high groud.Tell drivers to slow down when driving through water to save car engins and more importantly people .

Andy
Politicians should spend less time visiting the area for what is at best a photo opportunity and show their support by working hard to provide money and resources to help with the cleanup. We could do with not blaming Severn Trent engineers and employees who are trying their best in a horrible situation and lay the blame where it should lie, with successive governments of both the main parties letting inadequate investment and assett stripping carry on for too many years.

Ian
i grant you that the authorities are doing absolutely everything , well that is except for severn trent water. it says something when i find out on stroud councils website about my water shortage and servern trent staff aren't a ware of a problem in my area of stroud!!!!!!!!!Get it together STW, keep them bowsers filled and get mythe sorted asap and stop giving conflicting reports

AJ
Response to Neil: 麻豆约拍 24 just announced (28.7.07)that our water rates will be increased! The cliam we put in will be given back in the future

Angela
Should we really be worrying about compensation for loss of water? Surely we should be passing that on to the people with flooded homes & businesses. I am without water, but I have a roof over my head and will NOT be claiming anything. I believe the money should be used to prevent this happening again. Thank you so much to the guys out there distributing the water, it is widely available and easy to get, and if we all keep a look-out for elderly /disabled neighbours they too can get by.

SF
We have water back on in Bishops Cleeve!! Yippee

Ray - Tuffley
It amazes me that an organisation such as Severn Trent can justify having a single treatment plant to cover such a large area. Add to this that Tewkesbury, Cheltenham and Gloucester are all growing rapidly, how can it be accepted that one plant should supply all. Surely each town/city should have it's own treatment facility, then in the event of a repeat of these floods the network could be fed from local plants?

Casaloco
To Gloucestershire 4x4 Response Group - I'm afraid you're wasting your time. To ask for help would be to admit that they coudn't cope - to admit failure. Our government will sit and watch people die before they admit failure.

Neil
SB - You are missing the point. This company, which provides a water, a vital human necessity, has had no emergency back-up plans whatsoever. They cannot even organise the current shambles properly. They have a legal duty to provide water. It appears that they also had a legal due to have written contingency plans. This is not a criticism of the people on the ground who are obviously working hard, but of the Chief Executive and Directors. For your information contingency plans are there to cover all sorts of catastrophes - flooding is just one of a number of catastrophes which might have put this plant out of action (major fire, terrorist bombs etc etc).

SB
Whatever the management decisions made in the past, the current staff are doing their utmost to alleviate an appalling situation. They admit they are not getting right and are constantly trying to improve emergency water supplies. Mythe works hasn't flooded in 100 years of service, and the recent rain was an extraordinary and unforeseeable event. I am sure engineers are working flat out to restore our water as quickly as possible. While plans for the future need to be made and carried out urgently to prevent a repeat of thie current crisis, surely we can acknowledge the incredible efforts of everyone trying to help, without contant whinging, sniping and blaming.

Winfield Hospital
I see there has been no mention of the Winfield Hospital which was evacuated on Monday due to the floods. I believe the hospital has cancelled all admissions and outpatient clinics up to and including Aug 5th...

J.S Talin
In response to Richard Rogers. Don't buy it from the the frogs just take it

Neil
To Everyone: Severn Trent announced on 麻豆约拍 Midlands Today yesterday evening that their customers would be compensated (拢20 for first 12 hours, 拢12 for every 24 hours thereafter) DON'T FORGET TO PUT IN YOUR CLAIMS - THEY PROBABLY WON@T VOLUNTEER IT.

Andy
We've been out helping the elderly and infirm get water. According to an email I've just got back from Ofwat, Severn Trent are doing this.Odd, as I've not seen them deliver to any of the many, many people relying on volunteer and county council support.Ofwat are clueless and a waste of tax payers money. They are apologists for the profit hungry cowboys in charge of Severn Trent, and can't regulate anything in the consumer interest.

bob
terroists will now have ideal targets to hit and cause maximum disruption,the sub station and treatment works if they go down together will mean that 500,000 people will need to be evacuated. Where is the back up, why is it that we have to rely on two vunerable utilities at these. The planners and government have a lot to answer.I deplore the PMs political attitude that money will be forthcoming, it never did when he was chancellor and it wont now, he is all talk and no action.

Neil
To Roger, Yes, Severn Trent confirmed on 麻豆约拍 Midlands Today yesterday evening that their customers would be entitled to the same amounts of compensation (拢20 for first 12 hours, then 拢10 for every subsequent 24 hours - DON'T FORGET TO CLAIM EVERYONE - I'M SURE THIS PENNYPINCHING COMPANY WILL NOT PAY VOLUNTARILY.

R
So many comments and views here.Many are concerned with Utility companies etc., These are all important issues which need to be addressed in the not too distant future. I just wonder how many of us can put that aside for a short time and actually try and do something constructive and practical. Something to help the PEOPLE with immediate issues such as water. We need someone to watch the bowsers to ensure they are safe someone to ensure that water is fairly distributed (apart from the police etc).I have water and would be only too happy to let a feww people come and fill up. Maybe others would be pleased to do the same.There is no practical system in place to enable this.Please can we try do moan less and DO more

Glos 4x4 Response Group
British Red Cross and other services still don't get the message! The above group are standing by to give help and assistance wherever needed. Any members of the emergency services, Severn Trent, SARA, Councils, GPs, VETS, etc. log on to gloucestershire4x4response.co.uk and start making use of these people. There are 4x4 Response groups throughout the UK now - lucky Glos has got it's own!

roger crouch
According to Ofwat customers who are cut off from supply are entitled to compensation of 拢20 plus 拢10 for every 24 hours without water. I've not heard any of Severn Trent's spokespeople mention this. It'd be good if 麻豆约拍 Glos' could pursue this with them amd make sure that the people of the county get fair recompense.

Reduce Washing Up - Shop Wisely
When you go shopping, buy food that requires as little preperation as possible. Most supermarkets do a HUGE selection of excelent pre-prepared meals which can be cooked in the container they are packed in. These meals costs a little more, but all you need to wash up then is a fork.

LANDLADY
We have several holiday cottages, now without water and so hardly suitable for guests. We pay just under 拢5000 per year in insurance to protect ourselves from letting guestss down for any reason. We are - it would seem - covered for flooding and the adverse effects of flooding but our insurers are refusing to pay out so that we can reimburse our guests. Their attitude is to let them come, strain the limited local resources even more and hump buckets of water for recreation. I have tried phoning every business helpline I have found and no one can give me any advice. Is there anyone out there who can help?

Water Labelling: Drinking, Bowser and Grey
With people refilling bottles all the time it's easy to get them mixed up. Label your bottled D for Drinking water, B for Bowser water and G from Grey water to ensure you don't drink unboiled bowser water by mistake or flush the toilet with drinking water.

Water Bottles: Use them to catch rain water
Dont just throw your used bottles out, cut the top off just below the neck, turn it upside-down and put it back in the bottle like a funnel. Then stand the bottles outside in your back garden away from the house/fence to catch huge quantities of rain water. The water is drinkable once boiled or can be used to fill your toilet cistern.

Rain Showers
Go out in the rain in your swimming costume with some soap and have a shower. This should be compulsory for everyeone on sunday when the heavy rain comes in.

Paddling Pools
If you have a paddling pool or similar, set it up in your garden to collect rainwater. Divert downpipes into it if possible. Alternativly, setup a tarpauline or plastic sheeting to catch rain, tied to the fence and sloped towards the pool. If you have no plastic sheeting, a bedsheets will do as the water will soak in and run off of the lowest part. Do as much/many of these as possible. Sundays coming heavy showers should fill your paddling pool in no time and give you 1000+ liters of water to flush the toilet with.

Cheltonian
Does anybody know when they are going to restore tab water supply to Cheltenham? The whole situation is getting unbearable,forgetting the food, which cannot be cooked,because we don't have enough water, which made us feed on pizzas and sarnies,but the sanitation problems are enormous. I read the 'good hygiene advice' from the website and it advises people not to flush the toilet after a no.1. We tried to do it for one day but the stench in the bathroom is horrific!So now we pee into plastic bottles. Ps.Sb.here advises to fill in the toilet cistern and it should flush, we've done that-doesn't work.

Jenni
How about instead of setting up another expensive Parlimentary Commitee, they put the money to better use such as investing in the relocation of key sub stations and water units? Finger pointing will not help dry houses and rebuild lives!

Kevin
Severn Trent Water have been unhelpful and incompetent since they were privatised. For days I have tried to get any details of what they are doing at the Mythe and how long it might take. Impossible to get any info.

Mike. Bussage
Obviously we have had unprecedented rainfall in the last two months but serious questions have to be asked of those people at the top of the utilities tree as to why this situation with interuppted water and electricity supplies has occured. This is a natural phenomenon accepted, but presuambly a main water treatment plant situated in a flood plain should have some form of flood defences or am I being naive in suggesting this. Now we will undoubtably have the run of Parlimentarian & Royal visits, which is appreciated Im sure, but will, after all the rhetoric, anything actually be done to prevent this sort of thing happening again. I doubt this very much... it will be kicked about parliament until the sun comes out and the water recedes and all will be forgotten again. Now is the Time for Severn Trent to put our money where their mouth is and do something Tangible to prevent similar occurences in the future. I think also its a Big Big Wakeup call for the populace and will make us realise just how fragile our infrastructure is in this country and just how precious a commodity clean water is.

R
Hopefully we will all learn from this event.I am sure many people would be happy to volunteer to run small local community groups who could manage some things and oversee/organise in their local area.The public need to be consulted and involved. If this was done properly surely situations like this could be eased to some degree.I do hope that those who have been looting, vandalising, etc., during this time will be dealt with more severely. Perhaps a poll of the public would be in order to decide their fate.Resources are so stretched dealing with this crisis they really should not have to spend valuable time and energy dealing with these people.Whilst so many police are involved in escorting water, doling out water etc., what real police business are they unable to follow up.We need to get a grip, get organised and ensure that this sorry state of affairs doesn't happen again.

drummer
I think I'll rename my band The Bowser Cheifs! (or The Bowser Theifs)!

The Traveller
As Severn Trent have failed to provide a water supply through their lack of foresight by closing Dowdswell Reservoir, I think all the effected people of Gloucestershire should refuse to pay water bills for the next few months!

Sarah
The Cheltenham Borough Council web site says hang on to your plastic bottles, as arrangements will be made to recycle them, which is good to see. When will Severn Trent give us some updated information on when we're likely to get water back, though?!

shirley from cheltenham
Can you believe it? Some idiot has stolen the taps from 2 bowsers on the thirstaine road in cheltenham!

jane
Well done to all the rescue services and of course the fantastic Brisih Army who have had to take over the logistics of distrubution. Our bowser in Charlton kings was filled at 12pm last night, thanks to all. Keep Happy!!

Elly
Yesterday I bought a flexible wide bucket/tub which is about 2ft diameter. I have hair down to my waist which needed washing! Just want to share my jubilation in how clean I now feel. Washed my hair, had a sort of bath in the water and now have my smalls soaking in it. When finished with I will flush the loo with it. Not using washing powder, there is enough detergent from my shampoo and soap. Rinsing wont be too bad - rainwater! Going to use the spin cycle on the washing machine and then hang up to dry on coat hangers. I live in a flat so nowhere outside to hang washing. Anyway i have only used 10 litres of water for all of this! Actually, I am quite enjoying the challenges that this 'crisis' is setting for me.

Anon, Tewkesbury
I have been in the Army for 20 years. I have seen some places which have been without water for years....It is a little sad to see people stock piling water. water.Take a good look at yourself people are you one of those that cares not for your neighbours?

Desperate of Shurdington
The water bowser situation has not changed despite assurances from the Prime Minister. In Shurdington the two bowsers within walking distance of me are empty - I have visited them every day since they were delivered and each time they have been empty. I do not see that they are filled 4/5 times daily as promised! In fact my neighbour told me that they had only been filled once yesterday. Most people can manage with bottled water for drinking/cooking/washing, but the biggest problem is flushing the toilets and laundry - having enough clean clothes to wear! Do we have any specific timescales from Severn Trent apart from "UP TO 14 days". I appreciate the emergency services/contractors/volunteers are doing an excellent job, but is the end in sight?

Allen
I agree with 'Water Bottles: use them to collect rain'. I'm surprised the amount of people I have spoken to that don't have a water butt in the garden. I have one and I'd be lost without it, it's great for washing in, and drinking (once boiled). Also use buckets to coleect rain and fill the loo.

RC Cheltenham
Severn Trent continually say the problems at Mythe will be resolved within 7 to 14 days (as do the national and local news media) What does this mean -do they mean from last weekend or is it a rolling 7 to 14 days? Regardless, their minimal communication of actual progress is extremely frustrating and does not provide any confidence in their ability to return to some sort of service any time soon. I'm astounded they don't appear to have the appropriate spares available to immediately substitute the affected parts which would minimise timescales.

Andy Longlevens
What were Ofwat doing allowing ST to remove Dowdeswell and other back up systems. Ofwat's slogan is "Protecting consumers, promoting value and safeguarding the future"Well you could have fooled me. Its like putting the Teletubbies in charge of regulating Enron !Severn Trent are an uncaring profit driven cowboy outfit. Ofwat are a waste of space. Politicians hang your heads in shame - you allowed this mess to develop. Where is the back up, where are the flood defences ?Why are Severn Trent still on course to make 拢300 million pounds profit ?

Sue, Bedfordshire
Why can't Dodswell which use to supply Cheltenham be reopened? Why was it not just mothballed for emergencies or did Severn Trent think that one treatment plant, in an area which floods was an excellent idea?

Malcolm Fowler
With 5M bottles of water a day coming to various areas, how do we responsibly dispose of the plastic

Neil, Cheltenham
I think Severn Trent will have to change the slogan on their vans. At the moment it reads, "Your Water, Safe In Our Hands". Events have proved that to be utterly wrong. How many other major towns and cities in this country are dependent upon one water treatment plant, which has no back-up or contingency plans for major emergencies or catastrophes? A probelm which needs to be urgently addressed.

R, Stroud
Severn Trent still continue to amaze me, firstly why a company of such a large size does not have a contingency plan for emergencies, is truly unbelievable. I work for a large company and on Monday arrived at work to find that we had our state of emergency plan in full flow due to no water at the location, work has continued all week with very little disruption to our thousands of clients that are dealt with every day. Unfortunately, we live in a world where there are people like terrorists, who like to cause as much disruption as possible and the unknown can happen or things can just break down, and because of this large companies especially ones the size of Severn Trent and who provide such an important service normally have a emergency plan in place, yet Severn Trent do not appear to have. I find it totallly unbelivable that ST do not. Secondly, they are very quick to update their website telling use where the bowsers are, but it would be more useful if the bowser were actually there. Water went off in Whiteshill, Stroud at 9.00 on Tuesday morning yet although their website told us on Wednesday morning that there were bowsers in 4 different locations in whiteshill, Severn Trent still have not delivered them as of Friday morning?????

richard rogers
when we read in the papers that Seven Trent made a profit of 3oo million pounds last year and their organisation is in such a deplorable state of organisation what do you expect from a company that is French owned. Come on buy it back from the Frogs and lets have it run by this country

Kevin, Tewkesbury
RE: SOME WATER BACK ONDo this apply to all of Tewkesbury, or only selected area's? I live in Walton Cardiff and as of 11pm 26/07 there isn't any water available from the tap.

Kirstin Egan Grepne
Loved the one by John Lang

Mark, Whitminster
Why have we got a massive, unused Bowser in Whitminster when the water here is still on? Is it foresight by 7 Trent, or perhaps just incompetence??

Village Resident
Q. How did people cope before mains water? A. They only used what the really needed to survive.Life is nowhere near normal at the moment, so we must all adjust our water usage to conserve and make what water we have available to preserve life, not to enhance it.

david abbot
molde damp carpets how do you clean then.

MY
I am sick of the word Bowser!!!

Alex Sherman
I live in Whitminster but we still have tap water, yet there are bowsers situated here and in ither places such as Eastington and Frampton, is htis a waste of bowsers or is it just incase a water does run dry??

in the know
prince charles requested canapes and sandwiches to be provided for his visitwhat planet do these idiots live on

Water Bottles: Use them to catch rain water.
Dont just throw your used bottles out, cut the top off just below the neck, turn it upside-down and put it back in the bottle like a funnel. Then stand the bottles outside in your back garden away from the house/fence to catch huge quantities of rain water. The water is drinkable once boiled or can be used to fill your toilet cistern.

robert
why are there so few bowser in quedgeley this subbub is the size of cirencester and we only have 4/5 in the whole area

Elly
In the true 'wartime spirit', (us against those rain cloud bombing raids) lets just have a sing song -if you play all the songs that we can substitute words for 'bowser' and other, apt and suitably comically merited refrains, it would be grand. That should cheer all the 'grumpies' up. We are making history here folks - think about the tales we can all tell when we are older!

Dennis Mann
I have been flooded out up to the first floor window, but what really concerns me is; as a separated father I not only have no legal rights to see or speak to my children (also living in flooded conditions) I am also not entitled under UK Law to help them get fresh drinking water.Not only does this government need to invest in flood defences they also need to stop bullying fathers with this oppressive law, a law that bans a father seeing or speaking to his own children after a separation.These laws are passed in the secrete family courts.

john higginbotham
i would just like to say a big thankyou to all the services involved in trying to get everything back to normal.

Aaron Devlin
Water thieves and wasters should be photographed using mobile phones and shamed on a website.The time, date, location, vehicle etc should be included.This should put an end to the sub-human idiots!

Dom Jackson
Top marks to all concerned for the rescue efforts so far. Especially to those at Walham, without them it would be a very different story indeed.To all the ST boys at Mythe, keep up the good work and fix fix fix..... lets get the water flowing again soon!.

Wendy
Don't worry John, a rant a day keeps the doctor away! Is it not time that all our essential services were nationalised, secured against the elements AND the terrorist threat (as far as possible) and run efficiently and nationally for the benefit of ALL the people of this country rather than shareholders. Surely a flexible grid system ought to have been put in place for water, electricity and gas years ago to manage any shortfall in supply in any part of the country which can be met by sharing resources with other areas at the flick of a switch, with no one plant being a vital link. Share the load, spread the options. Indeed this is a disaster but successive Governments have sleep walked into it by lack of foresight, inadequate planning and penny pinching. It makes me, and many people that I speak to, very angry to see various politicians who are only too keen to be seen in a favourable light on the international stage being over generous with our taxes when here there are cuts left right and centre to our vital services, whilst they are expected to cope with an ever growing burden of population coming to live on this island from all around the world. There have to be limits!So is this is a wakeup call to the Government with their plans to cover many more areas of these islands with concrete and tarmac and pack in yet more people. Will they take heed?We can but hope!

Rachel - Cheltenham
Can someone ask Severn Trent if they will review the situation that 350,000 people are reliant on one site for their water? Surely they MUST change the way they operate after this crisis... if it was a smaller area effected it would be easier to manage and more people left to help out. I'm disgusted that ST have put us all in this position.

J.S. Talin
Severn trent and its shareholders have had it too good for too long its time this LABOUR Government returned all the utilities to public ownership

judith young
in the gloucester road area of cheltenham the bowsers have been empty since early this a.m. Are they likely to be filled again today? many people from this area are buying water from tesco etc. @60p per bottle as it is too far to go to collect the bottles allowed and carry back home without transport. have tried to call the STW no. without success.

Diane, Cheltenham Volunteer Centre
VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDIf you are able to help at one of the 5 water bottle distribution stations please email meenquiries@volunteeringcheltenham.org.uk

Steve
A bowser has just been placed in our road in Stonehouse but we have mains water. Are Severn Trent putting bowsers where they aren't needed?

Richard Clark
It is normal for a sizeable business to have contingency and disaster recovery plans, to enable continuity of service to customers, a continuing revenue stream, and lastly to protect return on investment to shareholders. Severn Trent is in a somewhat different position to most businesses. Any interruption in their service to customers has no effect on their revenue flow - we all have to continue to pay our water rates come what may. It's clear that customer service comes some way down their list of priorities, and that shareholder interests are more important to them. If they were really concerned about customer service, they would have spent time and money in attempting to protect the Mythe works from the well-predicted weather we experienced last Friday. They would also have had contingency plans to ensure continuity of supply in the event of Mythe going out of service. The case for returning the water companies to public ownership, where there is no shareholder interest and public service principles would be paramount, could not be more strongly made.

mary
although there is no bowser water,I have just been in shopping at waitrose cheltenham and they are fit to burst with water,bread,milk and baby care products. The staff there have been so helpful keeping thier customers updated.

meriel
many thanks to the fabulous and efficient people who are helping at B&Q in Cheltenham with the distribution today.

jackie
I've just been shopping in Waitrose in Cheltenham and they have a huge supply of water. You do have to pay for it it but it is fairly priced.

hattie bavin
Its really fantastic that bottled water has been shipped in to Gloucester and the surrounding area, but I worry that lots of people won't bother to recycle them after the crisis is over and that the facilities we have for plastic bottle recycling will not be enough to cope with the increased demand. Perhaps supermarkets should put huge containers near the fronts of their store to encourage recycling and councils who don't normally collect plastic should make special collections. I think many of us have realised just how much water we waste in day to day activities and will be making changes to our basic daily routines as well as collecting more rainwater. It would be shame if we add to the problem of rubbish by not recycling our plastic bottles.

reg winning
TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY SPIRIT!THE RISING SUN HOTEL AT BISHOPS CLEEVE CHELTENHAM ARE CHARGING PEOPLE 拢10 PER SHOWER!!!

Matt
Nice how the selfish yobs who have damaged bowsers, left them on, or carried out any other criminal activity have made Gloucester look bad. They have undone any positive media reporting of community spirit.No wonder Gloucester gets bad press, its about time people got tough on these pathetic insults to humanity.

Maureen
I have just been into Cheltenham and most of the shops, cafes and even hairdressers are open, apparently using bowser water, we are all economising, some people cannot get water at all, yet business appear to be using it for drinks/washing up, hairdressing, surely a luxury at the moment and even heard one saying they using for flushing toilets. How selfish surely something should be done to stop this unnecessay waste.

John Lang
A rant. We are normally a stoical and phlegmatic people but I am starting to get angry over the bowser situation. I live in Tuffley where there are several bowsers 鈥� all empty and to the best of our knowledge never have been refilled. The situation is not helped by cretins without any social awareness vandalising the bowsers, yet this scum are the first to cry for help when things turn against them. A talking head from Severn Trent was saying that the aim was to refill the bowsers five times a day. Now, either that man is delusional or he is being fed lies by his minions. The competence of these people needs to be examined. Severn Trent have just posted profits of 拢300M 鈥� are the shareholders sitting comfortably in their relative comfort or are they calling for the dividends to be ploughed back into retaining walls around the treatment plants? Rhetorical question. We do not want Prime Ministers grabbing photo opportunities nor do we need to be patronised. WE WANT WATER A Bowser Promise or Q: What has our bowser got in common with a promise from a politician? A: Both are empty. I feel better now. Cheers John.

Susieq
This time last year, 'authorities' said (quote) "within a very short time we could be in a desperate situation, with water shortages a possibility anywhere in the UK unless we get months of steady rain" - well they've certainly got water now and don't know what to do with it! Why don't they keep their mouths shut. In these islands with abundant water in lakes, rivers and reservoirs, we need never be short of water ever, if the water companies concerned themselves with the properly managed supplying of water instead of looking to reap mega profits and under investing in schemes to direct water when and where it's most needed.

Jack Wellard
I have just walked a mile and a half in the pouring rain, visited five bowsers in my area and all are empty! Being in my 70's with a bad back I am not a happy bunny - Severn Trent need to deliver on their promises.

Suzie
Just wanted to respond to Julia "...to air my concerns about the businesses in gloucester that are running every day as usual and using up lots of bottled water to give to there employee's..." Do you honestly believe staff want to work when their homes are more than likely affected by this flooding crisis??? The only reason businesses are open, and staff are forced to work, is because the general public demands they be open!!! Think about it, stores wouldn't open if there wasn't profit in it.....

Nathan Hobbs
Those of you hoping to seek compensation from Severn trent need not worry. There is already a system in place for you to be compensated: Each property will receive a 拢20 refund credited to you're next water/sewage services bill.That is Severn Trents entire liability, and it's quite clearly stated in the terms of their licence from the government.So if you were wondering why Severn Trent (as a company, not the hard working employees I should add) were making so little effort to resolve the crises, now you know.Ain't privatisation fantastic.

Nick
It is not the fault of Severn Trent that we have become so ridiculously dependent on running water. If we were more sensible with our use (or rather, non-use) of rainwater, we might never have got ourselves into this position in the first place!There is no water here, nor are there any bowsers or bottled water supplies but we are coping. It's by no means ideal but when it could have been so much worse, I can only feel for those more seriously affected and be thankful that we were so lucky. There is nothing to be gained from moaning and complaining.

Derek Newman
I'm not sure of the total population in Glucestershire effected by cut off of mains water, but it must be at least the 350,000 referred to. I'm amazed that one treatment works in Tewkesbury is all that can be relied upon to deliver to such a large population base. Last year there were shortages in the South East caused by drought! Once this current crisis is over, there should be calls for a complete rethink of all water distribution at a national level, so that an integrated system be installed in order to divert supplys to different parts of the country as and when required.PS - No water bowsers installed in the Painswick valleys yet - despite being promised on the ST website for at least the last 24 hours!

Neil
Can any listeners clear up the ambiguous information we get as to the timescale for restoration of water supplies. The "7 to 14 days" should, I would have thought, be reducing day by day. Are we being told the truth by Severn Trent I wonder? Perhaps they mean 7 to 14 days from the first day - Saturday - if so, not long to go now.

Caroline
I would like to say thank you to 麻豆约拍 Radio Gloucestershire and Severn Trent Water for everything they have done. In a crisis like this, the extent of which could never have been planned for, I think the authorities and companies involved have responded incredibly quickly to everyone's needs. Whilst this is a very difficult situation for everyone involved we should not be looking to place blame but remain positive to support our community and those worse of than ourselves. This constant moaning and demand to be compensated seems absolutely ridiculous to me and shows how selfish and ungrateful some people can be. No individual is at fault in this situation perhaps we should just remember how much more power nature has than we do as a race and try to be less wasteful and arrogant in the future.

jackie
Although a bowser is supposed to be in Keats Gardens, Stroud, it has still to arrive. That means we have been out of water for the last 3 days. We did not have any advanced notice that our water would be cut off.We have contacted Severn Trent yesterday and today, but still no bowser.

Gil
I was rather disappointed to see that ITN, 麻豆约拍 and C4 TV crews left their rubbish in the streets of Tewkesbury, following their outside broadcasts. There is enough of a clean-up operation to be carried out in the town without spectators adding their own waste! Next time take it with you!

FJH
Why doesn't g hughes get a life!!

Lou
This is a difficult time for everyone, myself included. However I had a letter through the post yesterday which made me laugh (nearly cry) from Severn Trent - a water bill for 拢2,701.85 for a 3 bed semi in Quedgeley. Not kidding! Letter is in the post.

Micaela
Does anybody know anything about Chepstow? Or Tutshill? I have my uncle and my aunt living there and they are not answering the phone. Thank you for any kind of information about Chepstow and the floods in that area.

ANON
WHY HAVE THE SOCIAL SERVICES STAFF AND PHYSIOTHERAPY STAFF BEEN SENT HOME BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO TOILETS!CAN THEY NOT VOLUNTEER THERE TIME TO HELP? DISGUSTING.

Suze
I wonder if anyone has any information about Stroud? We are at the top of town and were originally told we would not lose water so there was no need to keep a bottled supply. We have now had no water since yesterday early evening. Severn Trent does not seem to know what is happening. Daughter has three small kids so it would be helpful to have any information at all. Anyone else in this area affected?

Brian
Those who loot abandoned cars or empty properties are the lowest of the low. Anyone caught should be handcuffed to the nearest lamp-post and left there until the emergency is over..

Rik
To the bloke sarcastically saying where the builder's were getting water for cement from, i have many friends in the brickie trade and they have all bought bottled water at considerable cost to themselves. Dont forget these already hard workers dont get paid if they dont work, water shortage or not. Could you do without a weeks wage?

g hughes
i find it incredible that there was no one able to forsee this situation and have a plan in place for such an outcome.could nothing have been done to prevent the pumping station becoming flooded?. i shall be sending the reciepts for the water i have bougth to the water company for a full refund and i expect to be compenstated also the major upheavefull this has caused me!

Elly
Has anybody thought about the millions of water bottles that we will have left? Can I appeal to Cheltenham Borough Council to provide a recycling regime for all this plastic? Or better still, would the Army like to organise a collection point so that they can recycle/refil them?

Bob Faraway
After minor flooding in centre of Eastington I reported that the curb side drain was blocked. Within two days the drains had been cleared. Thank you to the Gloucestershire Highways and our local Parish Councilor Mary Gribble for phoning through my message to the Highways Centre.

resident
The fields are running with fresh spring water. Why can't ST pump spring water out as they did only a few years ago? our spsrings used to feed the top of nailsworth,chalford and some of minch.

Peter
Still no water bowsers in the new Kingsway Village and we lost water supply Monday morning -all new houses with no cold water tanks in the loft to provide any reserve.

Janet Davis
We, in Whiteshill, have been without water since Tues 9am, we seem to have been completely forgotten and left to our own devices, as of now, 11am on Thurs, not a sign of any help.Have we been forgotten?

Nathan Hobbs
"Why should people not refill their roof tanks by hand? It is up to Severn Trent to bring ENOUGH WATER. For the police to talk of taking 'more than you need' as theft is unreasonable."It's idiots like this that are causing the problem. There isn't enough water to go around and morons are encouraging others to waste it. On the other hand, the image of him trying to fill his loft tank with 2litre bottles is quite humorous.

G. Silcock
My I echo R. Evans comment that "the Severn Trent webbsite iS AS MUCH USE AS A CHOCHOLATE TEAPOT".

Whinchacker
DG - as a conservation professional I would not worry too much about the wildlife - it is infinitely more adaptable than we humans. Castlemeads and the rest of Alney Island flooded earlier this year, yet there were still moles, voles and numerous grasshoppers etc. in the fields just before the floods. They'll be back (to paraphrase a certain american governor!)

Ian
Well done Kingston. i think we know that it is only a minority, but they mess it up for the rest. Thanks for your help and keep at it!

Ed Addis
Most households have a cold water storage tank in the loft. This supplies the hot water cylinder, normally in an airing cupboard, where your central heating system, or an immersion heater, heats your domestic hot water. There is no reason not to continue to use this, as long as there is water in the storage tank. This can be topped up by pouring water, from bowsers for example, into the tank to replace what's used from the taps, taking care not to disturb any sediment at the bottom of the tank. In this way many households can continue to have hot water in the taps, and to flush any toilets fed from this water source. Obviously, the more sparing you are with this usage, the less frequently the tank in the loft will need to be replenished.

mrs m
i am not denying that this has been an awful situation for us all especially those who have been flooded. for the rest of us thou who have to go a couple of weeks without running water is it so hard that all we do is moan. think of those in the third world who go without water every day of every month of every year they have to walk mile upon mile for filthy water that carries disease and death. count your blessings i say.

nick
We should be really worried about 'poor' old Severn Trent Water they have only accrued 拢1.1 billion in profits over the last 5 years and last year they only managed to pay their shareholders a little short of 拢580 million. How are they going to cope ? .....probably the same as this year...by hiking up the water and sewerage bills by more than double the rate of inflation and not spending much on infrastrucure..... and like the supine donkeys we are we will just cough up the increase.....won't we ????

Roger
Is there any news as to when Painswick will have it's bowsers delivered that are already listed to say that we have them as we have been checking since yesterday afternoon and there are none, we have quite a number of elderly people living in painswick and we have no bowsers, i understand the pressure that STW are under but why list places in painswicjk that have bowsers hen we clearly have none at all, thanks to all at Radio gloucester for a sterling effort and keeping everyone informed.

Steve Gurd
I live in the new Kingsway Devlopement in Gloucester. Our taps ran dry on Sunday. There are 500 families here and we only got one bowser very late yesterday Wednesday). It is to small for the area meaning a 2 mile drive round into Quedgley. some roads here have 3 or 4 bowsers if you can find one with any water in. Where is the sharing, please help to get some more water to Kingsway.

TL
If Waitrose have unlimited water, why are people queuing up for hours? yes it costs money but why not pay and get it when you need it rather than queue just to get something for free. As for the vandals who are finding the whole thing a laugh Big Brother is now watching the bowsers on CCTV and taking notes, you wont find it so funny to let the water out!

Tim Smith
Clearly no-one should take so much water as to deny water to his neighbours. However, there seems to be excessive emphasis on taking only small quantities. Why should people not refill their roof tanks by hand? It is up to Severn Trent to bring ENOUGH WATER. For the police to talk of taking "more than you need" as theft is unreasonable.

Nathan Hobbs
To flush your toilet, take the lid off your cistern and put the water in there then flush as normal. A proper "flush" is far more effective than simply pouring the water in the bowl with a bucket.Modern toilets are computer designed to flush effecively with less water, but it only works if you do it via the cistern.Where possible collect rainwater for flushing the toilet... re-route your guttering into a paddling pool or similar if possible.

Kingston
yer im 15 , and the stereotypical image is that all young people are using this as a chance to act up, im sorry thats wrong . 6 hours today with mates spent helping in gloucester give out the free water . so ya know ease up on the stereotyping cause were doing our best to break the mould

R EVANS
AS FAR AS I CAN SEE SEVERN TRENT WEBSITE IS AS MUCH USE AS A CHOCHOLATE FIRE-GUARD

Tillie Darke
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD!We have been flooded.. well i don't know whhay to many times.. but it has been 3 in 6 months 2nd oc october, 25th of june and 21'st of july.. in ocotber we lost everything and had the whole house re-done.. then we mocved back in march and now are currently homeless once again as we have lost everything again. and all these people are syaijng how much of a nightmare it is, well welcome to our world. Priory road have it soo much and they never do anything about it. People think they have it bad. they dont compared to us. im quite glad it's ahppend to people tbh because now people can se ewhat we go through all the time. and people having like a few inches of water well try having feet!! well all you people out there that had a few inches consider yourself lucky .. those few inches was feet in our house and atleast twice every year. it's continuos!

Mandy
I don't live in Gloucestershire any more but think that this flooding catastrophe was an accident waiting to happen. Not just here but in so many places in the UK. WHEN WILL SOME ONE DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE to actually help prevent such a terrible human suffering happen again??? We need more government money to help clean out the rivers and drains that so baddly need cleaned and maintained BUT more importantly, stop greedy developers building on flood planes with inadequate drainage!!! It's not all about global warming. We need to sort out and save our country!

Sheila
Wouldn't it be more sensible to ensure that the bowsers currently in place actually have water in them, rather than send people on a wild goose chase around an increased number of bowsers, in the vain hope of finding one actually holding water?

DG
I wonder how much wild life has been been wiped out due to the flooding?,everything on or below ground will have perished, and that will have a knock on effect in the food chain of birds etc

Gina, winchcombe
Why complain? Our water went off on Wednesday and within hours four bowsers were put in place and free bottled water handed out from the Community Centre (each day). This is an enormous logistic exercise, to get water to everyone, and those who are providing it are not to blame for the situation which is unprecedented. Before you decide to write and complain, here, please, please, please - use your imagination.

Carrie, Tuffley
On a lighter note: my kids have quite enjoyed today, they went to a local house, who is letting people take their pool water for washing etc, collected some water. we then put up our gazbo and surrounded the sides and floor with a large ground sheet and the kids stood in a large tub while i gave them a quick rinse with a watering can! the soapy water will now be used for our toilet. we only used one watering can full of warm water and the kids thought this was a fantastic adventure and are lokking forward to doing it again in a couple of days!

steve, cinderford
i rang ST yesterday after hearing a rumour that the factory i run in cinderford would have its water cut off, they told me it would be off by 5pm Tuesday, i told the girls that worked with me they all went home and filled the baths up for toliet purposes, 2 of the girls didnt believe me so they rang and got the same story that the water was going off, the water is still on Wed evening and everyone has wasted water that could be used elsewhere, Severn Trent were responsible for this and should be held responsible

Natalie
Notice many compaints of looting and vandalism. Agree that this should be stamped on pdq. Also note no news as to the plights of farmers and their stock. How are you all?

Tomo
I think it is fantastic how so much has been actioned so quickly.The Brits are so clever at adapting to crisis. My Mother-in-Law wouldn't let me use one of her kettle's because it contained her hot water bottle water. She reuses it every night!I hope we all begin to realise how much resource we all take for granted and how much opportunity there is to reduce the consumption of our world resources.

Mark
I find it incredible that I learn more abour the water sitution from your web site and that of stroud district council. Severn trents managment and PR is derisory and insultingAre they working 24 hours round the clock to sort this? we dont know. What is wrong, what is the up to date progonis. They are risking a real chance of civil unrest if this carries on and the sad thing is as consumers we cannot vote with our feet.My heart goes out to the old and less advantaged folkSevern trent you are a disgrace!

James
Have people tried draining their hot water cylinders to obtain about another 100 litres of water?Just needs a spanner and short length of water. Just make sure you turn off the water heating first!!

Terry
we have been so lucky , i think it is so sad about the little twins. but think about it we have been so so lucky

HuffPuff, Northway
I see a lot of complaints here about people taking too much water from the bowsers but how many of you filled your bath when you heard the water was going off? Thats just as bad (large families excepted.) There was only so much in the reservoir. I just filled my saucepans and still have some left.

Ashley Williams
I would personlly like to thank all the Fire Crews/RAF/Royal Navy with all the effort put in to save Wallam power staion. Id also like to thank Tesco in Collets Drive Cheltenham who gave many people 15l of water FREE. A lorry load was given out in 5l bottles.Thanks Every One For Your Support!

sandra
Yesterday there were window cleaners around longlevens !!!Say no more !

Ashley
John you stated the server trent website is fine if you want to know how your shares in the company are doing. This is wrong. Server trent have set up a special page (its the 1st 1 you come to) with information about where to get bottled water and locations of bowsers.

Cathy
This 7-10 days doesn't seem to be reducing as the days go by. It was 7-10 days on Sunday and still 7-10 days today. So when does this 7-10 days start?

A.H. Itler
Vandalism, looters and greed at water stations.Delclare a full state of emergency. Impose marshall law, curfew and raise and arm local militias. Issue notice that all looters and and vandals shall be arrested and immediately tried by summary courts martial. And sentences carried out on the spot.It wouldn't take long for the message to be got across to these mindless wasters in the only language they are likely to understand

Steph, Matson
Does anyone have any news on whats happening with Matson's water supply? We currently still have water but have been told we may loose it soon.

Tim
The 麻豆约拍 and Severn Trent have been reporting bowsers at two locatons in Randwick village since 9am this morning. It's a myth! Surprised the 麻豆约拍 are propogating the Severn Trent myth in the face of all the comments coming in from residents of the villages affected. Is anyone from the 麻豆约拍 reading these messages? Note from 麻豆约拍 Gloucestershire web team: yes we are reading these messages but unfortunately we simply do not have the resources to check the hundreds of bowser locations independently and have to rely on the information supplied to us by Severn Trent. If anyone knows there is definietly NOT a bowser at a listed location, or it is empty - please ring Severn Trent on 0800 032 0142

jean, coney hill
we are haveing trouble with the local idot boys, letting out the water in the bowsers, last night we had to have a 24 hour servalance by the police on our bowsers, and the police have got more serious things to deal with ,why cant the parents keep a control on there brats in a crisis like this,myself and a few others are getting water from our local brook to use for the toilet, so i am letting others know to do the same ? why dont seven trent or the council deliver botteld water to the streets rather than the super markets there are alot of people without transport,that would save alot of people of going without, and other people being to greedy,take for instance my road has got 54 houses in it,if they allowed 25 liters of water per household drop that amount at the top of the road , and have 1 person stand there with a sheet of paper with numbers 1-54 each person from there household take a letter with there address on it and all they got to do is tick it off, even 1 resident of each sreet could do this and it would save alot of manpower from what they are useing now,if they could do that every other day i think that would save alot of problems

Marie, Tuffley
I just wanted to say a big thank you to the volunteers who will be supplying water to my Mum (a pensioner) and others in a similar situation in Coney Hill. Unfortunately my family have been struck with a sickness bug (not from poor sanitation - i think we would have had it anyway regardless of the situation) and I was getting very worried about her. I believe the majority of people have pulled together and it's just a small minority of selfish people who are being irresponsible. Thanks to all the services who are working tirelessly to improve the dreadful circumstances.

Addie (Add- ee)
Hiya,the bowsers where i live are empty so my mum and i went to another bowser. When we got to one we found a man filling up a 10 gallon jug of fresh drinking water, lots of people were waiting to fill up some small pop bottles. My mum told him that if everyone did what he was doing then the bowsers would be empty in an hour! He said it was for his mother so she could flush the toilet with! My mum told him that the water was meant for drinking and not for cleaning out toilets.Have people never heard of rain water before? He said that it wasnt raining. One lady piped up and said that she was using stream water to flush her toilet, He said the water was contaminated.(Well its better than using fresh water that is supposed to be used for drinking isnt it!) Whilst my mum filled up 2 small containers with some water he walked off with his 10 gallon tub and then drove off. To be honest with you there should be police officers on each bowser to make sure the water privelage is not abused by the general public. Or each person should only be allowed a certain amount of water at one time. It is ridculous! Thanks, Addie

Sheila
According to the info on the Glos website, Bournes Green should have mains supply. We haven't, neither have we a bowser. Where is the correct information. Maybe we should all club together and delay paying our water bills.

Steven
Sainsburys in Stroud was selling bottles of relief water, I heard the police had to go there and remove it all so it could be distributed in Gloucester. We are all in chaos and someone's making money out of donated water!.

owen, painswick
when will we be getting water bowsers in painswick.even a supply of bottled water would be helpful.

Kathryn, Quedgeley
We have had no water since sunday and have a special needs person in the house. We are just about managing and thanking our lucky stars that we live in a country where we will eventually get water out of the tap. This is an inconvenience more than anything and i think people should stop moaning and make the best of things. Life could be worse!

Elaine
When I was young tankers regularly sucked up the rubbish and muck from drains. Why did this stop? and have the clogged drains added to the problem?

Darren
To respond to the first comment - "The Severn Trent Website is fine if you want to know how your shares in the company are doing," - make sure you are looking at the Severn Trent Water site and not the plc site - www.stwater.co.uk

Dangpot
Is the water in Stroud on or off, I don't want to use up valuable water?Also... people! Don't forget to turn your emmersion heater OFF, especially if you run dry! You could start a fire!

Van Patten
I'm truly gobsmacked by the crashing selfishness evinced by several of the comments here. Having seen firsthand the immense logistical operation underway to try and keep water supply in an area as big as Gloucestershire is no small feat, and many personnel are working 16 hour plus shifts to try and get water to bowser locations only to find that people, many of whom it appears are posting on this website, are taking a fifth to a quarter of the bowser's water for themselves and leaving everyone else to go hang. Shame on you all.....

Linda
A good point a friend of mine raised - why do they not dredge the rivers anymore, it would have taken away a lot more water if they had, and the situation could have been a lot better!

Dawn- Frampton
Some people taking advantage of this situation. I had a friend who was charged over 拢11 for 6 x2-litre bottles of water at The Whitminster Stores!!!Disgraceful

Terry Henry
My wife and I from St. Paul, Minnesota, USA wish we could reach out to you. We can only pray and will contribute what we can (we are pensioners). We learned from our own experiences of tornados and floods the value of neighbors helping neighbors.

John
Bowsers are fine but when empty they are of no help. In Hucclecote they are all empty. This is an area with many old people who need water availble all the time as then can only carry small containers.

Chrissy
To Wendy P in AustraliaMy Cousin and her family (the Elsmores) live in Northway, Tewkesbury. Could someone tell me if this area has been affected. Thanks My family are also in Northway from what they are saying this area seems to be relatively unaffected.

Karen
I think we need to educate people on how to best use the little water we have. My advise is to not put anything down the sink but to save washing water, washing up water etc. to refill your loo sistern so you can still flush. It works brilliantly. Thanks to all the emergency services and volunteers. It makes you proud to be Brittish untill you see the idiots that are being so stupid and selfish over food and water. If we all stay calm and dont panic we can cope.

ann
Where are the bowsers for Chalford Bussage Bisley etc

Wendy, Abbeydale
A great big vote of thanks should go out to all of the people who worked so long and hard to keep us with electricity without out them life would have been a lot more difficult. Thank you all

citizen
Is it just me who finds it unbelievable that the prison is being evacuatedwhy not put these offenders to good use with the relief effortsfor once in their miserable lives they could actually put something back into the community they have abused

Sandra
No news available about theBristol ROad evacuation regarding the sewage even Severn trent and the floodline help number couldnt update finally got some help from the police at last!!!!!!!!!!!

Angela, France Lynch
Where are the bottled water supply or bowsers for our area???????????????????????

Gill
I have a 4x4 vehicle and am available to help flood victims. I have given my contact details to the Red Cross and the District Council, but have so far not been called on. I live in the Stroud area, but am prepared to travel. Is there any other volunteer co-ordination?

Sarah
I live on Carlton Street in Cheltenham and so far still have hot running water. I have tried calling various different number for Severn Trent to find out if I will infact lose my water, or if I won't, but they are useless. Can anyone shed any light on this? Of course if I know I am not going to lose my water supply, I want to be able to tell my friends and family so they can come and shower, wash clothes etc.

laura cantillion
i think its terrible, my mum lives down hemmingsdale roadin hempsted and for three days they have seen nobody, they had no electric no water and 95% of the houses down there are flooded. i think this is terrible. the people who live down there are calling it "FORGOTTEN ROAD".

Sr Elsy Poonoly/care manager
we are a care home in stroud with 15 vulnerable frail people and have had no water since yesterday morning.

n.
I hope that Gordon Brown gets to hear the interview with Sally from Walton Cardiff which was broadcast this morning on bbc radio glos. If he's not too busy plugging his book that is!

n.
I hope Gordon Brown gets to hear a recording of the interview with Sally from Walton Cardiff which was broadcast this morning on bbc radio glos.

KEVIN DALLIMORE
ALL THE PEOPLE HAVE PULLED TOGETHER BUT ITS GETTING TO THE STAGE THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO PUT GUARDS BY THE BOWSERS BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN KIDS KICKING OFF THE TAPS ON THE BOWSERS AND LETTING THE WATER RUN OUT THIS IS STUPID.

Alan - Quedgeley
Anyone making frofit from the water shortgae should be named and shamed in local news papers.

Elly
Dear Radio Gloucestershire, Thank you so very very much for being there for us, we all feel we have a friend. you are keeping us connected now that other news agencies are giving less coverage. When you switched to 5 live in the early hours of this morning I was left feeling very lonely. I want you to know how needed you are by us all. Please, whatever happens, endeavour to keep broadcasting for as many hours as you can round the clock - you are totally fantastic! I hope you guys get an award for this.

John
The Severn Trent Website is fine if you want to know how your shares in the company are doing, but totally useless as far as the chaos all around us is concerned. Once again, money takes precedence over all

Freddy, Chalford Hill
Where are the bowsers for the villages around Chalford Hill, Bisley, Bussage, etc. Can find nothing on Rad Glos or thir wbsite.

claire
why are there only 2 water bowsers in northway tewkesbury ive got 3 children and have got little water everytime i go to the bowsers they are empty.

kate
Is there anyinformation about water supplies in Stonehouse. Water was cut off yesterday with no notice and is still off but no bowsers or bottled water. I have one litre of fresh water left!

Charles Dodwell
Many thanks to you guys at Radio Gloucestershire for all the hard work and good humour. You have kept us informed better than any other agency, and without you, I believe the situation would be a lot worse. Keep it up!

Andrew Pyrka
Due to the disastrous events could the bbc please raise a question to banks and financial institutions and the goverment if payment breaks on mortgages and loans could be given to all affected. Im self employed and these events have had a major impact on my business. Anyone who has been flooded could all banks please have a heart and give these people time to recover their lives. Nasty letters in the post in these times, im sure will not be welcomed adding extra uneccessary stress. A huge thank you to all personel who saved the sub station as this would have caused a major disaster and possible evacuation of half a million people.

Katherine
I was completely appauled and annoyed going to the supermarket today in Bishop's Cleeve. It was like the apocolypse had arrived! People were panicking so much about the lack of water supply that they'd become so selfish and just lacking in common sense. Luckily we didn't need to buy any water as we had been warned beforehand about the water supply but we wouldn't have been able to anyway as everything had sold out. I just hope the water's got to the people who've had their homes flooded.

Wendy P in Australia
My Cousin and her family (the Elsmores) live in Northway, Tewkesbury. Could someone tell me if this area has been affected. Thanks

Paul Jackman, Australia
Can anyone inform how the Monks are at Prinknash Abbey please?

Jason
Will, what are you talking about? And who mentioned prisoners?

Steve
In reply ot:LSIn response to comments made by sue and R hopkinson re immigrants -Economic migrants are putting a greater strain on infrastructure for little return to the UK apart from the employers who get cheap labour and the migrants who bounce in and out earning far more than they can in their home country. This is uncontrolled...immgration IS controlled far more so I agree with you there.

Kevin
Why is there so little information on Winchcombe? Our water went off today, but we were not told that it would go off. I phoned Severn Trent to ask if Winchcombe was fed from the treatment plant at Tewkesbury and was told they didn't have access to "technical information" like that. I emailed them and just got a standard response without an answer to my question.

David, Winchcombe
Is it not possible for accurate information to be posted about which postcodes have / will lose their water. Winchcombe / and Greet are not mentioned anywhere but have been without water since this morning. Are ST seriously suggesting that supplies will not be reinstated within seven days?

Sue C
Has anyone else been as amazed as we have at the amount of water we seem to use daily just carrying out normal activities? It's really brought it home to us trudging back and forth to our local bowser. And we haven't used the washing machine, dishwasher, shower, washed the car, watered the plants, cleaned the bathroom etc etc for the last 3 days. Well done to all the emergency services!

Elly
A friend of mine is getting married on Thursday, which is all still going ahead! Good on him. Not sure about the reason or motive the 麻豆约拍 had by telling us on the news about the plan they HAD, to evacuate the whole of Gloucestershire if the power station went....maybe it was a gentle signal to us, whilst we still have power, that that is what will happen if and when we dont have it....anyway, pubs are all shut so at least there wont be drunken revelling in cheltenham high street for the police to bother about. I have had to pay for every bottle of water I got. Not caught a single place giving out bottled water near centre of Cheltenham. What about all those that can't drive?

Robin
My water supply at Chalford Hill stopped at 0915 (24th) this morning without warning. As of 2300 there are no bowsers.Some imformation from Severn Trent would be appreciated.

CW
Spare a thought for the farmers, their crops and livestock and the effect that these floods are going to have on food prices in the coming months!

Claire
I wonder how this crisis would have been co-ordinated if we didn't have the Tri-Service Centre at Quedgeley?? To all the emergency services, military, SARA, RapidUK, Red Cross, the large number of volunteers and everyone else who has worked tirelessly over the last few days for the people of this county and to the local radio stations for their continual updates - thankyou from a very grateful city resident.

Mark, Whitminster
Waterless antibacterial wipes and cleaning products are commonly used by playgroups and industry. Couldn't the authorities distribute these along with the water supplies? Bacterial diseases may soon be rife with the inevitable reduction in sanitation and children being in contact with contaminated water. Just a thought.

julie :) stonehouse
i would just like to say a big thankyou to my sis and her boss, who very kindly gave me and my children some water today as we were out and didnt even know the water was being turned off, so ta sis and jackie :)my heart and thoughts are with all my friends and those i dont know who have no home water or elec, i am only without water, tc bye4now J

Trudi
We haven't had water since Sunday night but we have been able to buy some and fill some pans from the bowser in our village. We have a 9 month old baby so it's important we have enough water for her needs. She is blissfully unaware of the chaos in her city but we have bought newspapers to show her when she is older. I hope we don't have 14 days of this as predicted. Roll on the summer!

spellchecker
Reading through all these comments I struggle to comprehend how illiterate many of the posters are.We also appear to have turned into a nation of whingers.

Simon Harris
Where are the builders getting there water from for cement, I see them mixing cement and laying bricks in Innsworth Lane, Longlevens.

Julia
Hi i just wanted to air my concerns about the buisnesses in gloucester that are running every day as usual and using up lots of bottled water to give to there employee's, i really feel that priority should be given to those who do not have water in their homes and employers should not be using vital supplies.Is their any possiablity of action being taken to prevent this please.

bobo
i was stuck in the floods all night friday, didnt see one policeman, where where they all? they should have been out and about giving advice and helpto motorists or this below them?

mike from cheltenham
we have now run out off water in the bowser how long do we have to wate for it to be filld back up as we have no water for the you know what

Janet Westlake
I come from Abbeydaqle but am living in Pennsylvania, USA for next few years. It is very sad to see the devastation and my heart goes out to everyone there. My mum Jean lives in Abbeydale and is coping at the moment without water with help from friends. What a shame that so many mindless human beings are taking advantage though of the situation and vandalising bowsers etc. They are a disgrace! My thoughts are with you all.

John English
I have found the information that is being given out near to useless. One "expert" is saying that we here would not be losing our water supply, to be immediately followed by another who pronounced that we would.Is it so difficult to list those places - big and small - that will be affected, and make the list available on this site. Listening to the radio is not very informative.

CW
I know the website gives information and there is the local radio, but on Sunday we recieved no information re the cut off of water except by word of mouth - no the radio wasn't on we have two small children who in wet weather tend to be either shopping with me or watching something to keep them quiet so I can get on and do the jobs that need doing - then the electricity went on Monday morning no water no electric no telephone, luckly we did have a small portable radio which ran off batteries, many people I knew didn't even have this. Yes Website great Radio great (although very hit and miss if dependent on battery power and turning on every 30 minutes for update) TV great but what do you do when you have no power to access any of these where were the tannoys giving information/warnings?

Alexi Kulesza
The Government has done too little too late. Its disgraceful that one of the worlds richest countries has left working class people to pay for sandbags

Mark
Hi, please can you confirm over the air whether water in the Whitminster area is staying on? Your web site suggests not, but I've heard that you had someone on the radio saying it was just an un-flood-related glitch (as per Cam, Dursley etc)?? Ta.

B I Oakes
Severn Trent are not filling the water bowsers regularly, quite a few are now completely empty. Does anyone know how long this situation will continue.

Jason, Woodmancote
At last, action against the selfish neanderthals who panic bought everybody else into a worse situation. Today, Police outside the Water Supply truck (handing out bottles of water) in Bishops Cleeve turned a stupid, selfish water stockpiling IDIOT around from his car (where he'd crammed as many bottles of water in as he could get his selfish hands on) and MADE HIM RETURN the collection of water he had continually returned to the truck for. What a pity he wasn't made to hand back every last bottle and queue up again like the rest of the normal people. Thanks, Gloucestershire Police, for nailing this King among mini brains. May he hang his head in shame, the pillock!!

nicki white. gloucester
hi can anyone help me and let me no if granville st in gloucester has flooded pleez?

Cdr. B S SOOD , New Delhi, India
my son is in stone house.As per 麻豆约拍 news water supply has been stopped in Stone House also,They , (my son and his wife,) got 9 month old baby girl, you can understand Baby requires Bath.they have stored some water in the bathroom tub ,But in the modern houses in UK there are no direct drains to take the water out.It is important to maintain the hiegen and sanitation.I would advise the authorities to immediately start taking precaution against the water worn diseases.we pray to Almighty to improve the situation at the earliest.

MRS S JAMES -ELSE
A BIG THANK YOU TO THE KIND GUY AND FRIENDS WHO TOWED ME OUT OF THE FLOODS OUTSIDE HARTPURY GLOS WITH HIS LORRY. IF HE HAD NOT DONE SO I WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE THERE! IT JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW THOUGHTFUL SOME PEOPLE ARE THANK YOU SO MUCH

Bridget
Yes the water in Stonehouse is off but we have got NO water here as the Gloucester lot came and got it already. Iknow some of them have not got any but we do not have any bowers they do !!!!!!

A
How useless is the Severn Trent website?

Cheryl from Abbeymead
Please can all people stop posting on here if all they are going to do is snipe at each other.Please bare a thought for all of those who have been been flooded and had to move out of their homes and lost many if not all of their possesions.I am a lucky one and very grateful that I have only lost my water.To those of you have been forced out by the floods, my thoughts are with you all and your families.To those of you who are still in your homes please think of others who are not as lucky as you.Also my thoughts are with the parents and family in Tewkesbury, I am soory fopr your loss and am thinking of you all. (To those who do not know a mum gave birth to 21 week premature babies and neither baby survived)

Steve
When are we going to get Water Bowsers in the Stroud & surrounding Villages ?We have ran out yet no news on Bowsers.

Dee
I cannot believe the way people are panic buying so selfishly. We bought four 1 litre bottles of water yesterday morning & still have 2 left. All we really need is enough for coffee, cooking & to dampen a flannel to keep clean! I feel so sorry for anyone with kids, especially babies, as i know this will be really worrying for them - please everyone, think about how much you REALLY NEED and buy accordingly.I would also like to say a huge thanks to all the emergency services & volunteers who are doing such a fantastic job.We live in Hardwicke and are only without running water, there are plenty of people far worse off and my heart goes out to them.

Angela. ( Newent)
I agree with Ann Daniels it would be useful to know where our water comes from ie does water for Newent come from Mitchledean. We currently have water and electric . dont all rush at once. Thanks to radio glos for all you updates.

Linsey Hutchins
I am really grateful that Gloucestershire county recycles plastic bottles, we used our bottles stored ready for recycling to fill with tap water before the water supply cut off, so did many colleagues and we appreciate how lucky we are in that respect.

John Buckle
Just listening to your program Vernon the Severn Trent Water Man needs to get a map. We in Leonard Stanley (which is miles away from Painswick have had no water since 11.00am this morning and want to know where to get water apart from bottled water which is fast running out. Are we going to get bowsers in this area. I feel very much for those who have lost everything and feel helpless. The emergency services are doing an exceptional and difficult job. i appreciate it is a difficult time but would like to know.

izzy
now we all know how those in 3rd world countries feel who never have clean water

Millie
Hi, I am currently in Malaysia but have a flat in Evesham Road, Cheltenham , is this road ok ?

sarah jones
There doesn't seem to be any bowsers near the bath rd .Any news

Sam
I totally agree with Tom, I was at work when my boss's husband had heard that water supplies were going to be turned off, so she let me go home to fill my bath etc, but wot about the people at work that had no idea this was going to happen, I feel very sad for them as intial reports said water was going to be cut at midnight, whilst it actually happened in Stonehouse at middday.

Laura
I would like to send my thanks on behalf of the residents of Little Bayshill Terrace to all of those that helped with the flooding on Friday. Unfortunately I do not know names of some of them, but special thanks to the two Chris' (I hope you are dry now and got back to Glos in the end!!) and to the saviour of the night, the pump guy!! The help and hard work from you all was most gratefully received. Thank you. :)

Michael
I just hope that those mindless individuals who are vandalising the bowsers are dealt with severely by the courts if caught as they are endangering life.Unfortunately, we seem to have more than our fair share of this type of trash in gloucester.

Nathan Hobbs
I've got most of my relatives out but my housebound mother is still stranded. Am making plans to take water in from Luton. Realistically, the government are NOT going to be able to provide water for 350,000 people. (Apparently moving toward 420,000 now!) People who can get out, should get out now while they still can.

Dawn - Frampton-on-Severn
We are so lucky not to be flooded. Can I just say that my thoughts and prayers are with those people who have lost so much. And a huge thankyou to the emergency services, army, gherkas, and the many volunteers who are helping all of their surrounding communities. Thankyou so muchxxx

LS
In response to comments made by sue and R hopkinson re immigrants - perhaps we should get rid of the ignorant and predjuduced people like them! it would make our country a much better place.

Steve
Being home all day I can get the water at the lorry drops okay. But I have heard of bowsers being stolen, vandalised and even worse someone washing their car with the bowser water. COME ON FOLKS - play fair.

Dawn McMullan-Cooper
This is the largest natural disaster that England has faced in 60 years, most people are being courageous and pulling together and taking it on the chin. We could be worse off we could have no power and no food please would those who think this is a situation where they are getting angry and cross wake up and thank their lucky stars they weren't flooded and lost everything!!!

Phil Crouthamel
I was stationed at RAF Fairford in Glos for 2.5 yrs in the 80's. The pictures on the web are heartbreaking. My heart and prayers goes out to you all in your suffering. From Seven Spring, North Carolina, USA.

n.
A situation like this definately brings out both sides of human nature. Not always the ones that the government/media/society conditions us to expect either. Any news of bowsers in Warden Hill?

Eddie Cooper
I wonder if some businesses, such as hotels, shy away from offering their facilities for washing etc because everybody expects it for free or accuses business of cashing in.Just because there is a crisis doesn't mean everything that we take for granted must be provided for free!I would happily pay to cover costs for any services I use; I am happy to pay for any bottled water I use.Leave the freebies for those who are unable to pay & those who lie & sponge the freebies out of the system you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Kate
I live in Stonehouse and my water has gone. As asked i did not stock up on water - how silly am I

John Buckle
I would like to let you know that leonard Stanley has also lost water. Please could you confirm with Severn Trent Water the reason Many Thanks

Sharon, Dudbridge, Stroud
If we are being asked to conserve water, please tell me why there has been water runnung down Dudbridge Hill in Stroud for over 3 months? I went on holiday for a the month of June, it was leaking mid may and is still leaking now.

Mark
I'm at work and we use a water cooler for drinking water but are using 40 litres a day from a bowser just to flush the toilet. I'm highly against this and don't think we should be here (I'm willing to work from home) but don't want to get fired!

Tom
My wife has just called me to advise that our home in Stonehouse has ran out of water. Despite listening closely to updates and looking at the villages in the Stroud area likely to be affected (Stonehouse was not one of them) we have now run dry. Whilst I appreciate this problem is affecting many thousands of people I must say I am angry that we have not been given some notice from the authorities that we were likely to run out. We have two young children at home and have been afforded no time to make alternative arrangements. I suppose now we will be forced to join the hoards of other people in the Stroud area in the hunt for water, a number of whom no doubt are out panic buying water as I write. This kind of selfish behavior will only compound the situation. I hope people can be calm enough to think sensibly in times such as these, which are affecting many, many people.Tom - at work in Gloucester

Rohan
Can't Severn Trent, The council or someone tell us which postcodes are going to be affected by the water shortages to stop people stock piling and having water that they won't need, so that those who really need it get the amount they need.

Gill Wright
On Saturday/Sunday I read a comment made by a woman called Elaine (Can't remember surname) from Twickenham, no connection to our area (I live in Tewkesbury). She made a comment about having no sympathy with those stranded on the M5, along the lines of they shouldn't have gone on there if they knew there was a flood warning. we get LOTS of flood warnings, but never this bad. People were returning from work (does she expect them to ring in and say they can't come in as they might not be able to get home? Would employers take that?!). My friend drove back from a school with three special needs children, stuck in the car for hours. THEY HAD NO CHOICE. It would seem these people have a life. she obviously doesn't, making ridiculous thoughtless comments when others are suffering.

Jackie
Not sure how bowser allocation is being decided as we have been without water since Sunday night and still have no bowser and yet others seem to have them just as they run out or even before they have run out. What's going on ???

Ann Daniels
It would be very useful for the Councils to be informed in the future,what location feeds their water supply. For instance in Stroud we were unable to find out where our water supply came from and if we would be effected

Fuz
My family and I travelled down to Bristol to use the shower facilities at Horefield Leisure Centre if this is useful to anyone

Mark
There is now no water in BUSSAGE Stroud, there was no warning and there are no bowsers

Andy Stoodley
Stonehouse is now out of water. This is contrary to the information we have so far received, including the 麻豆约拍 Glos webpage!

Fazila
What are the opening times of the Banks in Gloucester Town Center I heard that they are closing at 12pm everyday. Also does anyone know if Halifax in town is open?

Gemma
Apparently, the water has just been turned off in Stonehouse.

sheridan Town Centre
Our bowser is empty on Derby Road , yesterday people were filling huge barrels. the contrast between these selfish people and the selflesness of our emergency services , forces and vointeers helping out in thsi crisi is vast. We have no water, not since Sunday afternoon, i did not go 'panic buying' so now i have very little left. anybody know our bowser wil be filled so this time we might get a chance to secure at least some water for ourselves.

Will
Jason, we evacuated all of our prison inmates regardless of colour, unlike a certain flood incident. Bandwagon, who jumped on the covered wagon to help the locals?

dave camm
many thanks to all services and councils for a fantastic response and help in a once in a lifetime situation

g
The water coming through our taps is discoloured at the moment here in Brockworth. No one has told us this was happening. They should turn it off for everyones safety!

Dawn James
We lost our water yesterday but thankfully woke this morning to find the bowsers in place near the end of our road - a big thank you to the many people working tirelessly to supply the water and asist with the flooding many no doubt are effected themselves. Would also like to say i have just queued up with my son for water at B&Q in Cheltenham and was horrified to find many people (young women)cheating the sytem an taking more than alloted when there are many famillies with young children with a greater need. No doubt they will be handing water out again tmrw so whats the point of cheating - some one lese may need that water today. I also noticed several people collecting for older vunerable neighbours and that too warms the heart. A little calm a little gratitude and selflessness and we will all get through this - at least here in Cheltenham most of us havent been flooded so we have dry warms homes to go to.

joel
glos on friday nyt was terrible! i was stuk there n cudnt get hme for 2 days,lukily my sisters live in abbeydale.

Karen
Is there any thing that people just outside the flooded area can do to help. I feel so helpless just watching the horror of it all on the news.

Lisa Camps
Whilst driving through Gloucester yesterday we saw teenagers turning on the bowter taps and letting the water leak out! pretty disgusting really is there nothing better they have to do? i have an 8 week old baby and have no water or electric and been struggling to make bottles!

Pat
How nice it would be if hotels and laundrettes on the outskirts of Glos not affected by the floods could offer free showers and washing facilities to those who have been affected, many thanks to all the services and 麻豆约拍 radio glos who have done such a wonderful job

W Lea
How can we find out if Stroud locations are going to be cut off with water? Severn Trent are not answering the phone!!

Wendy Lea
When are the government going to listen and step in to put a stop to all the property developers building so many houses on flood plains. surely it's obvious - where is the water going to drain out if the fields and wastelands disappear?

Monica in NZ
Has anyone any news of son - Mikee Stevenson; fortunately he can swim!

Daniel
Americans and Britons are best prepared for wars, but when their own people (tax payers that finance armament) need help they can't manage to prepare a working emergency plan.

mary
Can you get a message to Severn Trent that the bowser on Everest Road?/Southfield Close in Cheltenham is empty. I can@t get through on the phone to them.

Jason
I'm English Pallo. And proud of it! My comment was prompted by disgust and anger over those cashing in on adversity. Some shops were charging 拢3 a loaf yesterday and some pople were stealing sandbags at the weekend from peoples doorsteps and trying to sell them. now tell me I dont have a point. Its also a shame we are short on troops because they are off fighting Bush's war, but hey... The majority of people do help each other, but some of the behaviour is disgusting. Grown men fighting each other in a supermarket over a bottle of milk! What kind of "Dunkirk" spirit is that?

Ella
Is Kentmere close in Hatherley, Chelt flodded?

"Drowned Dry"
Great! I am told there are bowsers and bottled water available for those of us who have been cut off!But it is ALL in town centres. I can't get to ANY of the bowser locations - I live out in the sticks and all routes into those areas is either cut off or jam packed solid with people trying to get in!What do I do? And what do my elderly neighbours who rely on public transport do? If I could get to a supply then we could ferry it in for everyone - but I would have to drive about 20miles to get to the nearest suppy - VERY roundabout routes required!Come on Severn Trent - look afet your most rural customers too! PLEASE!

NEELAM SRIVASTAVA, ALLAHABAD, INDIA
I HAVE A FRIEND IN Tewkesbury I CAME TO KNOW ON 22 ND JULY ABOUT THE FLOOD SITUATION IN ALLOVER U.K, IAM NOT IN DIRECT TOUCH BUT I AM SEEING THE 麻豆约拍 NEW THROUGH NET TO CHECK THE POSITION OF FLOOD, AND THE CONDITION OF DRINKING WATER AND FOOD SUPPLY ALL OVER U.K.SURELY THIS FLOOD WILL EFFECT THE ECONOMY OF U.K BUT I CAN UNDER STAND THE SITUATION OF ALL THE PEOPLE AND SO I WILL PRAY TO GOD TO GIVE THEM STRENGTH.

S in Quedgeley
Just to say a huge thanks to those people working tirelssly to save the electricity & deliver the water. My power was out for 30 hours and is just back on. Something has to now be done for the future to put in permanant measures to protect Mythe works & Waltham/Castlemead so this does not happen again.

Lucy
Thanks for the advice on boiling/purification/using sterile containers to transport water, which I will pass on to my powerless, waterless family.

pallo
people from the usa giving us brits negative comments is a joke, they need to look at themselves, Jason...cant fight their way out of paper bags.

Ivan
So far I live well away from any flood and I know the situation is unusual but rain has been falling steadily for weeks vertually every day around here. The ground became saturated weeks ages ago and all reserviors I've seen are full. Surely someone in control could forecast a high risk of what has happened? That I have little doubt. Warnings have been given out by the 麻豆约拍. What annoys me most is the fact those people we elected to lead did what they always do. They chose the cheap option, crossed their fingers and closed their eyes to the obvious. The map depicting the flooded areas should have been flooded last Tuesday, not with water, but with emergency supplies and defences. Sheffield, Macclesfield and Yorkshire all gave warnings about how unprepared and undermanned local forces are. All they could do was work till they dropped patching up after the events. It's time some of the taxes we all pay are spent on public amenities, instead of feathering the lifestyles of ALL in the towers of power.Jason, we do pull together, remember it was days before New Orleans went public. Here the news media are striving to drum up responses by shaming the powers that be. In Sheffield estimates are that it will be 12 months or more before some people will have restored homes. Somehow I suspect Tewksbury will fare much better.

Paul Glossop
Fairfield, Iowa, USACourage and hope to Geoffrey Peck and all his neighbors on Dean's Way, Gloucester. I have been listening to 麻豆约拍 Gloucestershire over the internet. No mention of exactly which roads are flooded.Good LuckPaul

Hugh Gleaves
I am a UK citizen, following the dire events in the UK here from the US where I live. I am astonished that at 11:30 (4:30 am UK time) I can see that the 'latest' news report was issued at 16:30 UK time, that is 10 hours ago.The main 麻豆约拍 news website has more up to date reports on the US Democrats 'debate' on You Tube than it does on the plight of its own population.

J Russel
Does anyone know if the cricket festival is still going ahead?

john from twyning
I heard about the flooding on holiday in Canada. Hope my boat is OK on the Avon at Twyning!!!

Mel
To AnneTweenbrook Ave is fine- except for having no water on tap. Power ok at moment

Jason
For New Orleans, New York (911)etc, we saw everyone pulling together. Why do people in this country always jump on the make a few quid quick bandwagon? People who cash in in any way should be publicly shamed!How this country ever won a war beats me sometimes!

Anne from Ngatea New Zealand
Can anyone assist regarding the situation in Tweenbrook Avenue, Linden, please?

Adrian Thompson
I was stuck on the M5 until 11.30pm on Friday, one of the lucky ones to escape through the flood waters. 麻豆约拍 Radio Gloucester was excellent however the lack of real information was incredibly frustrating. Do the police, highways and environment agencies plan to communicate if this occurs again? All we were told was that traffic was heavy but no information as to why. Also, many cars and caravans were still joining the motorway even at 7pm when the problems were already ongoing

pete
today at 6.00 shell gloucester road cheltenham.man useing jet spray to clean his car i dont belive it he did not care fool

Jason C
I'm sick of hearing about Climate Change being the cause. What did they blame the floods of 1947 on? WW2 after effects??

sue
i think this should be a big wakeup call to are government to stop letting imigrants into this country and use what little building ground we have left to look after are own!!!

Carol Minter
Cars trapped in Morrison's car-park in Tewkesbury could be allowed out by removing two pieces of wood from low fences at the north-west corner of the eastern car-park. I'd like to see this implemented by the next time floods threaten. If water levels rise again and wreck more cars there after today, how foolish is that?Carol MinterMonday 23rd July 2007

Ian, Abbeydale Glos.
All the bowsers in the area are empty, when are they likely to be filled again??

R.Hopkinson
Yup, Blame it on the immigrants! Who's gonna pay your pension?

Paul Ryder - Cheltenham
Sincerest thanks to all of the firemen and women for their total dedication to their duty and to all of the Cheltenham Borough Council's field staff for helping us all in this time of crisis - the "Average Joe" on the council staff have got on with the job and given of their best - let's hope that recognition of their efforts will go to THEM and not their senior managers.

cllr Denise Rogers
I can't praise the emergency services enoughthey have been brilliant at a very traumatic time.I havnt had the need to use them but stories that have filtered through have been uplifting

CM
We all need some advice on how to cope with loos with little water. I am using rainwater from my water butt to make mine flush. Hoping this is a good idea. Are the sewage treatment plants reliant on electicity and what happens if and when supply stops to them. We have had no advice on how best to use the little water that we have.

Rachel H
I am a tewkesbury resident with my water supply about to be cut off. I do hope that you will supply more bowsers than the one in Priors Park. please keep us updated.

Jason
I have been shocked at the selfish and burtal attitude of the "shoppers of the apocalypse" - the shops should have introduced an upper limit to the essential suplies (water, milk, baby food) that each person could buy. These selfish people have worsened a bad situation with their ability to behave like neanderthals - the idiots!!

Adam White
I was disgusted to hear that the Tewkesbury Water Festival was cancelled this weekend. With all the extra water available the event could have been the best ever!! I for one will not be going next year. When will the Government stop interfering with local affairs?

Simon Payne
All our flood plains are getting filled with houses, as the pathetic government continue to build on flood land, well, what a surprise this water has nowhere to go.

sue 2
Please please can people act responsibly and with the level of caring we know we british can show? Share, say thanks for help you get and keep in touch with friends and families. Good job the schools are out and there is time for workers to get to grip with cleaning up. Best wishes to all of you who are suffering -though I hear you have no electricity to read this by!!

aslam shaikh calgary canada
all i can do is pray for evry one please lookofter eachother and dont panic and make sure evry one make effert for special pray.

adam reeve
if the powers that bee hadent decided gone againts local knowlage things wodent be this bad thay were warned time n time again

Karen KR
Is Grace Gardens near Hatherly Lane in Cheltenham flooded with/or without water or electricity? Have close friends there! Please advise

N. Mac
Even after all the flood devastation we have seen here in Gloucestershire we still hear mindless Government Ministers prattling on about building more houses on flood plains. Of course these transient politicians neither have to live in such houses, nor are they around long enough to have to face the inevitable consequences of their irresponsible ideas.

Food for thought
It is amazing that we are an island and have a drought, we have the river severn with its mouth being 3 miles wide and still flood,we sare supplying irigation systems to africa what do we know about them,We have bosses at Severn Trent on Millions of pounds a year and the IQ of a rusty Nail Everyone over the age of 13 knows that the area of Mythe in Tewkesbury Floods what idiot though up the good idea of building a water treatment works there. Hey Severn Trent next time do a poll of children under ten years of age and you would have got a more succesfull site for the water treatment plant. Hey Ho we could have a drought in Aug /Sept Oh by the way have we still a hose pip ban.Also If Gordon Brown had not wasted the fuel for his trip to Gloucestershire today prehaps the Local Authorities ycould have supplied the elderly with bottles today. Anyway thanks for the visit Gordon but you forgot your bucket for bailing!!

Gemma
Why are companies in the area asking employees to come into work when they know from the reports that water and power are due to be switched off in the area? I got in only to be sent home hours later and may have to go in again tuesday to be sent home again its stupid

Annabelle M G
Grateful thanks to 麻豆约拍 Radio Gloucestershire for providing this service. I remember your assistance during the snows of January 1982. This is a really helpful social network. Hope you eventually get commended for this role.

Joanne Smith
If you have no power to boil water, how are you going to read Chris Jones' advise?

SC
how can cheltenham have flooded months after the 'flood defences' were openedsort of ironic

Sharon Buckmaster
can anyone tell me if it possible to get from the forest of Dean into glos...Glos Royal hospital?

George, Tewkesbury
A big thanks to all those people who lived in Tewkesbury Town Centre and despite there own troubles, filled sandbags and used thier own 4x4's to deliver them to people under threat. The disappointing thing was that the local councillor who represents the town centre publicly criticised 4x4 owners on the 麻豆约拍 Gloucester Radio on Sunday morning - yet it was these people who were helping and he was sat high and dry in Cheltenham (yes we know his house had been flooded, but talk about a rat abandoning a sinking ship). Guess we won't be voting for him again.

Kathryn
It is meant to be the summer!?! What is happening? I live near gloucester in Slimbridge and it is quite worrying that we could loose our power and water. We have filled a few things with water buut not very much. I can't believe it hasn't peaked yet!!!

Claire
Do you know if aldertons water will be off

Rob Burton
two of the scotland buses and an ireland bus were on a way to cardiff wales to compete in an athletics international competition whilst getting stuck in heavy floods, the motorway was closed and they satayed put. Taking them almost 23 hours to get to cardiff from edinburgh and these athletes showed remarkable commitment to their sport as they went on to compete they next again day

ruth
we have no bowsers at all in Kingsway where there are about 500 families living now.we are expected to go to quedgeley and share their water when there are already huge ques for it.Has anyone ever tried pushing a baby in a pushchair and carrying heavy water bvottles as well as holding onto a three year olds hand! Not easy I can assure you.

Chris Jones
If you have no power to boil water, you might be able to get water purification tablets from a chemist or pharmacy. These should make water safe to drink if used correctly.

gary brown
gordon browns to many houses built on flood plains no to more building of houses no more migrition to this country then we wont need to build

N. Mac
I sincerely hope, that when this is all over, someone takes a long, hard look at the activities of the Severn Trent Water Company, who, in order to cut costs, have closed several of their plants to concentrate on one plant situated at Mythe Bridge premises - which is on the edge of an area which regularly floods. Talk of "putting all one's eggs in one basket". It is unbelievable that this company had no emergency stand-by plans - for different types of emergency, fire, terrorist activities or flooding, to name just three. This company makes obscene profits, its Directors are Fatcats - without a doubt heads should roll.

Lee Goodall
Mary Pegglar, the 79 year old refusing to be moved to safety, is a very stupid woman. I hope no one is put at risk because of her stupidity.

Julie
I believe the water in the bowsers is safe drinking water, they only advise boiling it because they can't gurantee what kind of containers are being used to transport the water home, that's where the need to boil comes in.

PC
I feel that the number of people asking questions about bowser locations, water cut off times and power outages indicates a pretty poor crisis management plan on the part of the local council and utility operators. A proper communications plan would help to alleviate a lot of the panic that we are now seeing.

Sheila Taylor
Lydney in the Forest of Dean has lost water supply - can't find information on that anywhere.

Ian
Lucy - have you never heard of rubbing two boy scouts together to light a fire - oh sorry, the wood's all a bit wet!

Derek Lightstone Barnwood
I appreciate at times like this loads of rumors start the rounds. Today at work it is being said that it could be up to a week before we get the water supply back on through our taps, is this true?

Tracey
In reply Lucy, if you can get holdof a small gas camping stove that should do the trick! Good luck!

rebekah
i have power and water, i feel so lucky, my heart goes out to those who have neither or homes have been flooded

Sarah Nicholls
Why do they just deal with the towns? My mothers village has been flooded since Friday and they have had no help or assistance, yet a mile down the road the town had every formof emergency services available.

Gill
There is a bowser outside the Co-Op in Leckhampton!

margaret and tim
on holiday in the sunshine. cannot believe the pictures we are seeing. hope all our freinds are high and dry. our thoughts with all those trying to cope in such difficult circumstances.

Adam
The Floods are not the major problem now. The biggest risk to health is the lack of water, something that is being made worse by people panicking and bulk buying or taking more water then they really need from the bowser's. While there are lots of people keeping their heads and thinking before they act a small minority are causing shortages by their actions. We live in a developed country and as such we will not be left for too long with out the basics of life. I will only start worrying when the third world countries start making us food parcels and offering their help. Until then lets all try to get a little perspective on the real and likely risks

Fiona Thorne
Bowser locations for Cheltenham so far (at 16.22)KING HENRY CL JUNC.,CHARLTON PK DR JUNC. SOUTHFIELD CL, EVEREST RD, LeckhamptonNR OLD BATH RD JUNC., CHARLTON PK GATESainsbury's Priors Road, CheltenhamB&Q Grovefield Road, Cheltenham

Louise
It says Bowsers are being located around Gloucester and Cheltenham - There are NONE in Cheltenham - They are all in Glos.

JO
Now out of water in Bishops Cleeve, and still no details of water supplies this! Maybe I should've barged my way around the shops, but heyho, some of us have manners. Agree with Liz K, lots of yougurt for the greedy.

David Mills
The root causes of this debacle is the allowance of building in the flood plain with neither Planners or Developers listening to those who have lived in the area for many many years. Also the probability that the Severn has not been dredged since the last barges used it, probably 20 years ago. I regret to say that its profit, profit, profit

Nicole Atkin
I am horrified to hear shops are allowed to price hike! Here in Florida when there is a natural disaster there are severe fines for anyone putting up prices.Things are hard enough without the greed of shop owners!!!My thoughts are with you all, I hope things improve quickly. xx

Denis Grant
Although I am not a regular listener, I have been impressed by the extremely helpful content of your broadcasts during this crisis.It has been a great comfort and shows how important it is to have a battery powered radio when the mains fails - fortunately our power has now been restored. We live at the lower end of Commercial Road, in a first floor flat, so will not be affected with any flooding unless its above about 20 feet!

C Dent
Cheltenham seems to have been forgotten?? In Charlton Kings we have been without water since first thing this morning, but I see no bowsers are available locally? When are we going to get some water please?

sharon
Many thanks to my kind neighbours who helped me when after returning from work came across my road under water and the garage flooded.(luckily it did't reach the house)!. thanks Sharon Abbeydale

Si W.
Just to let you know Sue P. I have been following several news reports both on the radio and the TV. I am in Gloucester myself and luckly I have not yet lost my water or power yet. I have seen them on some of the report reasuring people in the Dursley, Cam and areas down there that the water is not going to be effect. I believe this to be the same for the power.Also to address anyone who is asking questions about boiling water from bowsers without power. They have said boil it where possible and if this isn't possible to still carry on drinking to save dehydration.Hope this helps.

monica
we have no news at bishops cleeve

shirley warr
Lucy.....maybe they expect you to make a fire by rubbing TWO DRY STICKS together!!!!!

shirley warr
It is truly mindless and 'head in the sand' to allow any more building on flood plains. Cannot the powers that be, see the devastaion such actions cause? More houses may be needed, but NOT IN SUCH VULNERABLE PLACES. This is lunacy of the first degree!!

Gemma
FAO LucyHave you got a camping stove or anything to boil the water on if you have no power?FAO Sue I would prepare for it to go off just in case. I'm in Cam and havent heard anything specific but have been told by relatives to get as much water in pans etc just in case.

Tracy
Still no news on bowsers in Upper Noverton, Prestbury - we have been without water since 2 pm Sunday - so already 24hrs without any signs of bowsers being made available.

T Cassidy
We still have water here in GL4 (Matson), although tap pressure is considerably decreased.

nat
Does any one know, if Paygrove Lane, in Longlevens is flooded.Please let mw know.

Sue Pue
Does anyone know whether the water or power is going to go off in the Dursley, Cam and Slimbridge area? I would really like to know. Thanks, Sue.xxx

Lucy
I see it says to boil bowser water before drinking it but don't understand how to boil water without power. Any ideas?

Kerenza Mann
It is really scary how much water there is around in Tewkesbury at the moment. For the last two days I have been helping people and giving them cups of tea. I have friends stuck in Tewkesbury that aren't able to get out. It is amazing to see how many people are willing to help the poor people whos homes have been damaged by the water. Our phone has been going mad because people that know us and live the other side of the country are ringing up just to check that we are ok and our house hasn't been flooded. I think the rescue services are doing a great job and if we all work together this disaster will be easier to cope with and will be over quicker.

Karen Hawkiins
I have seen some lovely examples of people caring for each other in difficult situations. It is so disappointing to hear of shops charging extra in order to make money out of peoples misery and people hording or worse still looting. Let us all pull together and treat others how we would wish to be treated.

Lesley Trueman
Thanks to the emergency services, they seem to be doing a smashing job and without much sleep. i still have water and power in chelt at the mo. I feel for those without.

Bev Hills
I live in Bishops Cleeve and we also have had no water since early this morning. Where are the Bowsers in this area Please.

Lydia, Upton
Still have water in Upton St Leonards. Don't know how long for. Can't fault actions of any of the services, they are working against extremes.

Liz K
Still no info on water bowsers for Cheltenham. Plus, if power goes out, how are we supposed to get information? And as for 'fridges...the Buyers of the Apocalypse are going to find themselves with alot of yoghurt at this rate.

Michelle Power
Thanks for the pictures of the floods.I am devestated that such a beautiful country is going through these floods.My heart goes out to all those affected by the floods.Michelle (the mad aussie who wants to leave australia for england)

Eleanor Relf
The Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) were among the first on the scene in Tewkesbury and surrounding villages, working round the clock with 4-5 boats with crew and support vehicles since friday afternoon. By Sunday they had rescued a guesstimate of 200 people, not to mention pets and transport of emergency medical supplies and personnel by water. These brave volunteers who are funded purely by public donation surely deserve a mention!!

david abbot
should you be using flood water in you toilethealth hased

James Doughty
A big thank-you to the lady who helped my wife and 6 month old daughter get back to our house in Prestbury on Friday afternoon after their car was stranded outside the Royal Oak. Also a big thank-you to Tony and his hammer skills; Janet and Alice for their babysitting skills; and Andy and Marcus for general flood prevention work. Last (and not least) to Sally for remaining calm and checking her phone for text messages.James Doughty - Shaw Green Lane, Prestbury

hannah and charlotte
first the water then electricity what next is our oxygen going to run out.nooooooooooooooooooo

Chris H
We are in Matson & we have no problem with water or electricity. Is it going to hit us & should I be worried?

R Barge
Could the emergency services have been co-ordinated efficiently from Taunton in the present crisis? Should the proposed centalisation be scrapped as surely we need control nearer to where the problems occur.

Rachel Hammond, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham
We have no water and no information on whether or when there may be any bowsers located in Cheltenham or where they may be, do you have any updates for cheltenham on this?

Michele
Following my criticism yesterday, well done for getting some real advice and information up on the website! Keep up the good work... PS unfortunately you've got incorrect link to Gloucs County Council.

Keith Bray
I live in Bishops Cleeve and we also have had no water since early this morning. Where are the Bowsers in this area?, Where are Seven Trent getting their figures of 20 Hours water left in Cheltenham from?

wOOOdy
Just come back from Morrison in hatherly Cheltenham and people are buying ridiculous amounts of food drink. one women picket up 48 cartens of baby milk stopping another women from having any.and there is no bottled water in any supermarkets I've tried.when i confronted staff about distributing products farley staff say they have no power to control the amount people are buying.

Jenny Crabb
Not sure why but we are in matson and we still have water???????

Caroline, Tewkesbury
I just want to thank all the emergency services. They've worked tirelessly, saved at least 2 of my friends' lives and rescued many more from flooded buildings. We may have a town council that insists on building housing estates as flood barriers and a government who send our armies far away where they can be of no use to their own country; but at least we have a community that can pull together when it's most needed.

Fred watkins
Can you please advise me when the water bowsers will be comming to charlton kings cheltenham as we have no water

Mr Derek Wilkinson
Lesson learnt. The Mythe Water works and vulnerable electricity substations, etc, should promptly be protected by surrounding with earth wall dams. Heads should roll if there is ever get a recurrence of the present problems.

KEN JOHNSTON
We are without water in Leckhampton, Cheltenham.Have not seen any bowser locations mentioned.

Tim Entwhistle
We lived in Tewkesbury for two years returning to Sydney, Australia, last year. Tewkesbury and Gloucestershire is all over the news here (and internationally, of course). I played at the rugby club and two of our children went to the C of E school. We have family there and in Cheltenham. Please pass on our regards to the people of Tewkesbury - our thoughts are with them.

Local 麻豆约拍 Sites

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Floods

Flood crisis 2007

Last updated Saturday 18 August 2007

麻豆约拍 Good Neighbour Scheme

News updates before w/b Mon 13 August 2007

麻豆约拍 Good Neighbour Scheme

Severn Trent will tell customers BY THEIR POSTCODE when water is once again safe to drink - and details will appear ON THIS WEBSITE.

* IMPORTANT WATER RECONNECTION NEWS *

Do NOT drink the tap water even after boiling it

Do NOT use the water for food preparation or washing dishes - even after boiling

Do NOT use the water for ice-making

Do NOT use the water for cleaning your teeth

Do NOT use the water for making baby feeds

Reconnected tap water CAN ONLY be used for flushing toilets, bathing and showering, and washing clothes.

Bottled water or boiled bowser water remains the ONLY safe source of drinking water until further notice. You will be informed when tap water is safe to drink.

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麻豆约拍

Local 麻豆约拍 Sites

Neighbouring Sites

Related 麻豆约拍 Sites

Floods

Flood crisis 2007

Last updated Saturday 18 August 2007

麻豆约拍 Good Neighbour Scheme

News updates before w/b Mon 13 August 2007

麻豆约拍 Good Neighbour Scheme

Severn Trent will tell customers BY THEIR POSTCODE when water is once again safe to drink - and details will appear ON THIS WEBSITE.

* IMPORTANT WATER RECONNECTION NEWS *

Do NOT drink the tap water even after boiling it

Do NOT use the water for food preparation or washing dishes - even after boiling

Do NOT use the water for ice-making

Do NOT use the water for cleaning your teeth

Do NOT use the water for making baby feeds

Reconnected tap water CAN ONLY be used for flushing toilets, bathing and showering, and washing clothes.

Bottled water or boiled bowser water remains the ONLY safe source of drinking water until further notice. You will be informed when tap water is safe to drink.

Bogus callers alert

Have Your Say

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