Stark warning that residents on the Isle of Dogs could ‘run out of water’

Tap water could “run out” in one East London neighbourhood if century-old pipes aren’t replaced, a local councillor has warned.

The Isle of Dogs in Tower Hamlets is one the most densely-populated areas in London, and a local councillor has raised concerns that its growing population could put pressure on the local water supply.

Thames Water, which supplies the Isle of Dogs, has said that it will invest £300 million to replace cast-iron Victorian pipes to prevent leaks and bursts.

The group said that its supply network “would be improved ahead of the new homes being occupied”.

However, Conservative Independent councillor for Canary Wharf Andrew Wood said that the increasing number of developments on the Isle could increase the pressure on the water supply.

His remarks came shortly after Tower Hamlets Council approved a new 2,000-home development on East Ferry road on the Isle of Dogs, which residents argued would increase strain on public services.

Councillor Wood said that new water pipes would have to be installed for the project to go ahead.

He said: “If that doesn’t happen then we won’t have enough water, and this has been our perennial concern – until they do build the pipes at some point we’re going to run out of water.

“We’ll have 2,000 apartments – that’s approximately 4,000 people. That’s 4,000 showers a day, plus toilet flushing, plus the store, plus the restaurant.

“The area was originally industrial so the water pipes were sized for factory use and some residential, and what we now have is a very different kind of demand for water.”

The councillor added that although the water system has served the community for more than a hundred years, more people moving to the area would continue to put pressure on supply.

Tower Hamlets, along with Islington, is already the most densely-populated local authority in the UK with 16,000 people per kilometre, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

The borough is also projected to experience the fastest population growth of any area in London by 2026.

This surge in population has also made Tower Hamlets the fastest-developing area in Britain, with a higher proportion of new homes built there than anywhere else between 2010 and 2018, according to a study by Royal Mail.

Cllr Wood said: “Thames Water got away with the fact that when the Victorians installed the cast-iron water pipes 120 years ago those water pipes were big enough for everything.

“But the scale of the development is way beyond what the Victorians ever imagined.”

Thames Water said that it was expanding its network to ensure that no water shortages would occur.

A spokesperson for Thames Water said: “We’re aware of local concerns around the potential impact of development and population growth on water supplies and have been in regular contact with Councillor Wood and others at Tower Hamlets to address them.

“The availability of water isn’t a problem but getting it through the pipe network to the southern end of the Isle of Dogs could be in the future which is why… our network will be improved ahead of the new homes being occupied.

“The Isle of Dogs is also set to benefit from the additional £300 million of funding we announced in early September that will accelerate improvements to our water network across London.”

A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said: “The Isle of Dogs is undergoing considerable residential and commercial growth and the council is making sure that this is accompanied by high quality infrastructure to meet the increased demand.

“Thames Water have stated that the existing water system delivers water pressure 50 per cent above the statutory level and that necessary upgrades are included within their current improvement plans.”