Those living in the Ignatius Sancho Road Estate faced huge disruption starting last Tuesday with water pressure and flushing toilets, according to resident Shannon.
The flats, which were recently built by property developer Durkan in 2024 and now owned by Greenwich Council, have 122 households, including a number of residents with disabilities and who are elderly.
Shannon told the News Shopper: “It was two days of wondering where I was going to actually shower.
“I couldn’t do my basic human necessities like going to the toilet or brushing my teeth or washing myself.”
Shannon said that despite the issue being reported on Tuesday, residents were only supplied with portable toilets and showers on Friday (October 10) due to works taking place over the weekend, along with a supply of bottled drinking water.
Shannon was one of many residents who reported the issue on Tuesday, however in the evening she was informed that it was not an “emergency issue”.
Greenwich Council has since said it is “aware of how frustrating it was for residents as our staff were on site and in regular contact with those living there”.
Between Tuesday and Thursday residents experienced no water supply across the multiple blocks of flats in the area, with some residents with additional needs being reportedly offered hotel accommodation by the council.
Shannon said: “We didn’t get the portable showers until Friday, so it was almost two days without having to flush the toilets.”
“The water they supplied — I only got maybe eight bottles.
“I can’t wash myself, my kid, my flat, I can’t do anything with that.”
A Greenwich Council spokesperson said that staff went door to door to ensure that any vulnerable residents, including those with medical needs, had the support they needed.
They added: “To keep residents comfortable, we provided bottled water within two hours, had portable toilets delivered and would have provided showers if the issue had continued.
“We apologise for the inconvenience this has caused.”
Shannon said that many residents are “concerned” that the problem will occur again, after a specialist reportedly visited and was unable to identify the cause of the problem.
Whilst the issue has now been resolved, portable toilets and showers still remain on the site, adding to growing concerns that the issue may arise again.
Shannon explained: “It’s not the first time this has happened, they told us they have no hope that our water is going to stay on.
“We’ve got no answers, we don’t know how long this is going to go on for.
“They’ve just left us without pumps in working order. We have water, but we don’t know how long for.”
