Burst Water Main in Crawley Disrupts Supplies for 9,000 Homes and Shuts Major Roads

A major water main failure in Crawley, West Sussex, left around 9,000 households facing supply problems and forced the closure of several key roads on Sunday, authorities confirmed. Sussex Police described the incident as a "significant" leak, while utility company Southern Water mobilised repair crews to the scene near Southgate Roundabout.

The pipe burst in the early hours of Sunday morning, sending large volumes of water across the carriageway and into pedestrian underpasses. By mid-morning, police had closed roads around the roundabout, and the flooding had spread to Southgate Avenue, Crawley Avenue and a section of the A23. Emergency services urged the public to stay away from the affected area while they worked to manage the situation safely.

Southern Water initially reported that approximately 9,000 customers were impacted by either a complete loss of supply or reduced water pressure. The company identified Woolborough Road, Holmcroft, Southgate, Tilgate and Furnace Green among the worst-affected neighbourhoods. By 19:45 BST, the utility said most customers had seen their supplies restored, although repair work continued at the site.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said teams were on site and "working as quickly and safely as possible to repair the burst and restore supplies." The company later confirmed that the damaged section of pipe had been removed and a replacement installed, adding that it apologised for the disruption and thanked customers for their patience while the repair was completed.

The outage had knock-on effects beyond residential properties. The County Mall shopping centre in the town was temporarily closed because of the water supply problems, and a bottled water station opened at 17:30 at The Hawth Theatre on Hawth Avenue. Southern Water also continued delivering bottled water to vulnerable customers who are registered on its priority services list.

Local residents described the scale of the flooding with alarm. Martin Lawrence, who was making deliveries in the area at 05:00 BST, told BBC Radio Sussex he encountered a "massive flood" stretching across the road. He said a large volume of water was flowing from one side of the roundabout to the other and pouring into an underpass, adding that he had never seen so much water in his life. Another resident, Ryan Beck, reported having no water pressure on the upper floor of his home and said all the underpasses in the area were submerged.

One elderly customer, 82-year-old John Boulton, voiced frustration at the disruption. He said he and his partner had been left without water earlier in the day and described the situation as "pretty disgusting," pointing out that households pay substantial sums for their water supply. Boulton added that he had spent £22 on bottled water from a shop.

Southern Water issued detailed guidance to customers about what to expect once supplies return. The company warned that water may appear discoloured or contain bubbles, stressing that this is normal and usually clears as the network settles. If the water looks cloudy and white, customers are advised to leave it in a glass for a few minutes to see whether it clears, as the appearance may be caused by trapped air.

For water that appears brown or black, the utility recommends running the tap for several minutes and trying again after 20 minutes if the discolouration persists. Southern Water said supplies are safe to use as normal once the water runs clear. It also noted that a chlorine smell or taste is "perfectly normal" and results from small amounts of the substance remaining in the supply.

Customers were further urged to run their taps for a short period to help bring water through the system, as air locks can form in pipes following a major interruption. The advice is intended to help households avoid unnecessary concern as the network returns to normal operation.

The incident highlights the vulnerability of ageing water infrastructure in parts of southern England, where bursts can quickly affect thousands of properties and disrupt local businesses. The closure of the A23 and other routes around Southgate Roundabout created significant traffic disruption on Sunday, while the shutdown of the County Mall added to the sense of a town centre brought to a standstill.

The flooding also raised safety concerns, particularly around pedestrian underpasses that filled with water. Images from the scene showed warning cones and "footpath closed" signs at a submerged walkway, with floodwater covering large sections of road next to a football pitch. Police maintained a visible presence to keep people away from the hazardous areas.

Southern Water's response included both emergency repairs and welfare support for customers who could not access water. The bottled water station at The Hawth Theatre provided a temporary lifeline for residents, while deliveries to those on the priority services register ensured that elderly and vulnerable people received supplies. The register is designed for customers who depend on water for medical needs or who would struggle to reach alternative sources.

The company has faced similar incidents in the region in recent months. A separate water outage affected Gatwick Airport earlier in the summer after a main burst, underlining the recurring challenge of maintaining reliable supply across the network. While most Crawley customers had their service restored by Sunday evening, the full repair and the settling of the network were expected to continue into the following hours.

As the town begins to recover, attention is likely to turn to the cause of the burst and whether further investment is needed to prevent similar failures. For now, Southern Water has said its teams remain on site to complete the repair, and residents are being asked to follow the company's guidance if they notice any unusual colour, taste or smell in their water. The incident serves as a reminder of how quickly essential services can be disrupted and how reliant communities are on the hidden infrastructure beneath their streets.