Affinity Water misses leakage targets amid Watford blunders

Its pipes had the second most leakage of any water company between 2020 and 2021, with water equating to a concrete mixer truck – 11 cubic metres – being lost daily for every kilometre of pipe.

Latest figures also revealed it only reduced wastage by 1.7 per cent in that period despite being set a 2.7 per cent reduction target.

William Metcalfe, who reported “constantly” flowing water in his garden recently in Northwood, said: “Such a poor response from Affinity during the drought is clearly not acceptable.

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“Though if you ring them, they still say they don’t expect to put you onto a hosepipe ban.”

Per property 120 litres of water leaked every day from Affinity Water pipes last year.

Michelle Nichols, from the Nascot Wood area of Watford, had a leak in her garden which became so bad she had to dig a trench.

She said: “I had a look at their figures, they are all available, they are missing significant performance targets.

“They talk about trying to reduce leakage but it’s just talk.”

Trench dug to divert leak. Picture: Michelle Nichols

There have also been problems reported in Vicarage Road, Bushey and Maple Cross in the last few weeks.

A spokesperson for Affinity Water said: “Although we have narrowly missed our 2021/22 leakage target, we have driven leakage down to our lowest ever level and are already over half-way to meeting our five-year target to reduce leakage by 20 per cent by 2025.

“We have reduced leakage by 10.5% (based on a 3-year average and a target of 11.1 per cent), helping to save 16.6 million litres of water a day being lost through leakage.

“In both percentage terms and million litres, this is one of the largest reductions in leakage achieved in the industry this year.”

The leak outside William Metcalfe's home in South Approach. Picture: William Metcalfe

They added: “It follows on from our success in the 2015-20 period of reducing leakage more than any other water company in the UK.

“We are confident that we are on track to deliver on our commitment to reduce leakage by 20 per cent by 2025.”

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