Anger after garden hit by Southern Water pipe leak

A green-fingered grandfather is angry after a water leak forced him to throw all his home-grown vegetables away.
Michael Monger, 61, said he has been forced to throw away his homegrown vegetables because of the leak. Picture: Derek MartinMichael Monger, 61, said he has been forced to throw away his homegrown vegetables because of the leak. Picture: Derek Martin
Michael Monger, 61, said he has been forced to throw away his homegrown vegetables because of the leak. Picture: Derek Martin

Michael Monger’s garden in Clapham Common has again been affected by a water leak, this time from pipes belonging to Southern Water, with water seeping in and ruining his patio.

Michael, 61, said this is the third time a water leak has caused him problems.

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He said: “Water was coming out everywhere, it was seeping through the road into our garden.”

The garden has since dried out since the leak in late May, but that has not been the end of the problem, with Michael now unsure if his garden produce is safe to eat.

He added: “I am throwing all my vegetables away, I spent a year growing them.”

The water also undermined his patio, which Michael said has started sinking.

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He has also contacted his MP Nick Herbert to express his frustration with the issue.

A spokesman for Southern Water said: “We were made aware of a leak in Clapham Common by Mr Monger on June 12 and dispatched a crew to site immediately.

“After investigations, we found the leak coming from our pipework nearby, at a West Sussex County Council depot.

“We carried out repairs as quickly and safely as possible and we have also exchanged the depot’s meter as a precaution.

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“We have no further concerns about leakage from the pipework and the new meter is installed with a leak alarm, which will help detect leaks easily in the future.

“The public are our eyes and ears and we are immensely grateful to Mr Monger for alerting us.

“We understand his concerns and we will be getting in touch with him.”

Members of the public who spot a leak can call Southern Water’s ‘24-hour leakline’ on 0800 820 999.”

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A West Sussex County Council spokesman said: “n 2014 we assisted with some drainage issues at this location. We understand the latest incident is of a different nature and being dealt with by Southern Water.”