Hot Weather May Have Caused Burst Water Main that Sparked Traffic Chaos Across Romford.

The water company believes the recent hot weather may have contributed to the pipe failure.

A burst water main in Romford caused major disruption across the town this morning after flooding forced emergency road closures near the busy North Street roundabout.

The burst is believed to have happened during the early hours of the morning, leaving roads underwater and causing traffic chaos across surrounding routes as emergency crews rushed to the scene.

Essex & Suffolk Water confirmed engineers were deployed quickly after the incident was reported overnight.

A spokesperson for Essex & Suffolk Water said:

“In the early hours of this morning, we were made aware of a large burst on a water main at North Road, in Romford.

“Our crews reacted quickly and are currently working hard on site.”

The Havering Daily reported live from the scene as emergency teams worked to pump away large amounts of standing water from the flooded junction.

Nearby pavements were left covered in thick mud and debris while the pedestrian underpass beneath the roundabout was also forced to close after becoming heavily flooded.

Engineers managed to isolate the damaged water main, but due to the scale and complexity of the repair works, disruption is expected to continue for several days.

Essex & Suffolk Water said:

“They have isolated the main and are now working on clearing the standing water.

“Due to the size and location of the burst, the full roundabout is currently closed as we clear the flooding, but we are hoping that this will partially reopen later today.”

The North Road entrance from Ingrave Road remains closed while repairs continue, with diversions now in place for motorists and buses.

Heavy traffic quickly built up across Romford town centre and surrounding roads throughout the morning as drivers attempted to avoid the closures.

Bus services were also diverted due to the emergency works.

The water company added:

“The North Road entrance to the roundabout will remain closed from Ingrave Road as our teams work on repairing the main, and diversions will be put in place.

“Since this is a complex repair, we anticipate that this may be closed for a few days, however we will continue to provide updates.”

The flooded pedestrian underpass also remains shut while crews work to remove the water using tanker vehicles.

“The pedestrian underpass is also closed due to flooding, and we have a plan in place to use tankers to clear the standing water away,” the spokesperson added.

Some residents reportedly experienced reduced water pressure or temporary loss of supply during the early hours, although Essex & Suffolk Water confirmed supplies have now been restored.

The company also acknowledged the major impact the burst has had on one of Romford’s busiest routes.

“We are aware that this is an incredibly busy route, so we would advise that any motorists avoid this roundabout if possible.

“We are also working very closely with Havering Council, the local authorities and the local bus companies, as we are aware that this is also a popular bus route.”

The water company believes the recent hot weather may have contributed to the pipe failure.

“During periods of extreme heat, like we saw yesterday, this can cause ground movement and lead to pipes bursting.”

Essex & Suffolk Water has apologised to residents and motorists affected by the disruption.

“We would like to apologise for the inconvenience, and would like to thank customers for their patience.”

Flooded underpass.

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