Guernsey Water Offers Winter Guidance to Prevent Pipe Damage

Guernsey Water has released guidance and video resources aimed at assisting island residents in preventing leaks and bursts within their plumbing systems. The utility stated that a rise in leaks and bursts is typical throughout the water network during the winter period, attributing this to natural ground shifts caused by higher rainfall and fluctuating temperatures. Additionally, low temperatures can affect private pipework. According to Jon Holt, operations manager at Guernsey Water, “A cold snap can cause a significant increase in leaks and bursts on private pipework, causing damage and disruption to homes and businesses.” He further noted, “Our data from March 2018, when temperatures fell to -2.1C, shows that in one day over five million litres of water was lost above the seasonal average for the last five years as a result of leaks and bursts.” Measures that are straightforward and inexpensive can be implemented to safeguard pipework from cold conditions. Additional details and instructional videos, covering topics such as verifying stopcock functionality and methods for lagging pipework, are accessible on Guernsey Water’s official website. BBC Guernsey can be followed on X and Facebook. Story suggestions can be submitted to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. This content is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for material on external websites. Information regarding its policy on external linking is available.