Wormley Travellers in water pipe plea - Hertfordshire

From the Mercury

TRAVELLERS living in Wormley have made a plea for water to be supplied to them after Thames Water threatened to disconnect an illegal pipe in Wharf Road.

A pipe running under the nearby rail line and tapping into the mains supply is due to be removed by the company, as reported in the Mercury.

But Traveller families living nearby, although unable to identify who laid the unauthorised pipe, want to keep it and install a water meter to pay for their usage.

James Brien, who lives in Wharf Road with his wife Mary and five children, said when they had asked Thames Water to install a pipe to the edge of the Traveller sites a year ago, they were quoted £86,615.

He said: “We just want water just to wash our kids and there’s a big upheaval over it.

“We don’t want something for nothing – we will pay our way.

“We have been ringing up since April to get a meter.

“We are Travellers, not aliens – we are just like anybody else.”

Mrs Brien spoke of the difficulty of raising five children aged between one and 16 years old without a constant supply.

Previously, they had to go to shops or rely on friends in nearby houses.

“In the middle of the night we have to go looking for water,” she said.

“We are just trying to have a normal life.

“We want to pay our way, we are just like the next person.

“There’s no other life for us – it’s all we know.

“I have lived here all my life.

But she said they could not hope to match Thames Water’s earlier offer.

“Who in the world would have £90,000?”

She added: “Water is a part of everyday life – we have to have water, and they should supply it.

“We are not hurting anybody living in the houses. People in third world countries need water, why are we any different?

“We all pay our taxes.”

Resident Kathleen Doherty estimated the figure at between 60 and 70 children including some with special needs.

“We need to have water for the kids here,” she said. “I’ve got three kids and a baby on the way.”

But a Thames Water spokesman said: “The illegal pipe work that has been installed is not suitable for supplying drinking water.

“We are working with the local council and Lee Valley Park to find the best time to disconnect the pipework as any future illegal connections could affect our customers’ water quality.”