Thousands of homes in west London were left without water for several hours on Tuesday after a burst pipe flooded Acton Lane. The incident, which began around 7.30pm, affected properties in the W4 area of Chiswick before spreading to Shepherd’s Bush, White City, and Acton. Residents were unable to shower, wash hands, or access drinking water for hours.
Thames Water Response and Repair Timeline
Thames Water issued a statement acknowledging the burst pipe and deployed a specialist team that located the large burst main on Acton Lane nearly 90 minutes later. The company worked through the night to restore supply, with some homes in W3 having running water by 11pm. By 12.30am Tuesday, the broken pipe was isolated and water rerouted to W3, W4, and W12 areas, though some properties continued to experience low pressure.
Thames Water expects to complete the repair by Monday or Tuesday next week, subject to site conditions. The road is not expected to reopen for around ten days, with traffic management and closures remaining in place for safety. In an update on Thursday, a spokesperson said: 'Our teams continue to make good progress with the repair to the damaged water main on Acton Lane. We currently expect to complete the repair by Monday or Tuesday next week, although this remains subject to site conditions and may change if we encounter any unforeseen issues during the work.'
Advice for Residents
Thames Water advised residents in blocks of flats to contact their managing agent to reset internal pumps if issues persist. The company noted that returning water may be discoloured initially—rusty, white, or milky—which is normal. A spokesperson added: 'We know these works are causing disruption, and we're sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for your continued patience while we complete the repair and safely restore the area as quickly as possible.'
The road restoration phase is expected to take several days after the repair, with the aim to reopen Acton Lane by Sunday 26 July. The next update is scheduled for Monday 20 July, or sooner if significant developments occur.
