Why have we seen more water pipes burst recently?
Getty ImagesThe heatwave being felt across the UK is putting strain on our water systems.
As many of us come to terms with hosepipe bans during the third heatwave of the year, others have also had to deal with an increase in burst water mains in our area.
Over the past few weeks across Suffolk, bursts and leaks have been reported in Ipswich, Framlingham, Stutton and elsewhere.
But why are we seeing more leaks, and does the weather play a role in it?
Janine Machin/BBCDr Geoff Darch is Anglian Water's head of strategic asset planning.
He told BBC Look East that the hot weather was causing higher demand and drying the soil, causing more pipes to burst.
"The soils dry, they move, our pipes move within that and that leads to an increased number of bursts and increased leakage overall," he explained.
"We're putting a lot of extra resource into that... finding and fixing those leaks so we can keep as much in the network as possible."
On Monday, Essex & Suffolk Water was called in the early hours to Saxstead Road in Framlingham after receiving reports of low water pressure.
A video from the scene showed the leak was so bad, it had caused the road to crack and the surface to lift.
A week earlier, police and the fire service were called to Crown Street in Ipswich when a burst pipe led to heavy flooding.
A burger bar was flooded while homes in the area were without supplies or had low pressure, Anglian Water said.
In Stutton, near Holbrook, there was a similar issue on Thursday, and Manningtree Road remains closed while Anglian Water fixes the problem.
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A spokesperson for Essex & Suffolk Water said the issue of pipes bursting was the same in the winter.
"When the weather warms up or gets very cold in winter, the ground hardens and shifts, causing the pipes to move," they said.
"Fixtures, fittings and even the pipes themselves can move and crack, along with the ground, causing more leaks and bursts.
"We don't always know for definite what the cause of a leak is, but there has been an increased number of bursts due to the recent hot temperatures."
Cath Jones is head of household relationship management at the Consumer Council for Water, which helps customers with advice and support.
"Our changing climate is putting increasing pressure on water companies' networks, and prolonged periods of hot weather can expose weaknesses in their infrastructure," she said.
"It's important companies do all they can to prevent bursts, and find and fix them quickly when they do occur.
"Companies have been entrusted with an unprecedented amount of customers' money through record bill increases, and customers rightly expect to see that investment delivering more reliable services."
Malcolm OwersMalcolm Owers, 65, is a farmer from Pettaugh, near Stonham Aspal.
He said the village had suffered a burst water pipe for the past three months along the A1120, and it had also burst back in 2022.
He said "the water's running down the road like a river".
"It wasn't quite so bad, but it's gradually got worse and worse as every week has gone on," he explained.
"There're thousands of gallons of water down there every day. It's not good enough."
A spokesperson for Anglian Water said the company was working to replace pipes in the area as they were reaching the end of their "useful life".
"[The old pipework] has led to 10 bursts in the last five years, which we know has meant low pressure or a loss of supply for some of you," they said.
"We're really sorry. That's why we're replacing these pipes now – to reduce the chances of future bursts and keep your water flowing as it should."
Owers said he understood that old pipes had to be replaced, but he said the speed at which the work was taking place was "shocking".
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