Water Main Burst Response and Remembering Iain Coleman
Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick
Andy Slaughter MP
January 26, 2026
Last week a major burst water main near Holland Park roundabout early on Wednesday morning caused widespread disruption across west London. I raised this in a debate on the water companies in Parliament the same day.
Large areas experienced no water or low water pressure, affecting postcodes including W4, W6, W8, W11, W12, W13 and W14. Thames Water has told me that around 4,000 homes were affected, and a number of schools were forced to close. Local businesses were also disrupted, and traffic was severely affected while emergency repairs were carried out.
I was in direct contact with Thames Water from the early stages of the incident, pressing for clear information on the scale of the disruption, support for affected residents and schools, and the timescale for restoring supplies. I have also been in touch with Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow Councils to ensure residents received timely updates and support.
In response to widespread failures across the water sector, from burst mains to sewage discharges and supply outages, the Labour Government has this week unveiled a major overhaul of water regulation. Under plans set out in a new White Paper, the existing fragmented system will be replaced by a single, powerful regulator to oversee all aspects of water companies’ performance, infrastructure and customer service. This new body will have stronger powers to conduct proactive “MOT-style” checks on pipes and other assets, step in quickly where there are problems, and hold companies to account in ways that the old regime failed to do. The reforms are aimed at ensuring reliable service for customers and preventing the kind of poor maintenance and disruption we’ve seen locally.
In Parliament recently, I made a statement on behalf of the Justice Committee about the drugs crisis in our prisons, following the publication of the Government response to the Committee’s report on this issue. You can see my full statement here. Last week, as well as speaking on the water mains burst and Thames Water, I spoke in Parliament on the Sentencing Bill, which you can read here.
I also sat with the Joint Committee on Human Rights hearing evidence on inquiries into disasters ahead of the remaining stages of the Hillsborough Bill. Public inquiries are essential to understanding systemic failure and preventing future loss of life, but only if they are timely, properly resourced and their recommendations acted upon.
Great news on NHS waiting lists was recently published. In November, waiting lists fell by over 86,000 – the second biggest drop in waits in 15 years. For Imperial College hospitals, Charing Cross, St Mary’s and Hammersmith, the waiting lists have fallen by 7,873 since the election. This is good news and hopefully my constituents waiting for appointments will begin to feel the benefit.
As a reminder, the Barons Court station works are now underway with the eastbound platform closed until early June 2026. Both platforms will be open during the HSBC Queen’s Tennis Tournament from 6 June. The westbound island platform (District and Piccadilly lines) will then close from mid-July until the end of 2026.
Passengers are advised to plan their journeys using the TfL website or the TfL Go app. I appreciate this will be disruptive for many regular users and will continue to press TfL to keep disruption to a minimum and provide clear information throughout.
Recently I spoke to 6th form students at Saint Paul’s Girls School about my role as an MP and how parliament works, it was brilliant as usual to hear their perspectives and answer questions.
Last Monday I spoke at the memorial service for my good friend, Iain Coleman. The turnout filled St Paul's Church, Hammersmith as many friends, and a few former rivals from the world of politics, joined Iain's wife, Dame Sally Powell, and son Jack to celebrate his life.
Iain was a formidable presence in west London, serving as leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council and as MP for Hammersmith & Fulham, 1997-2005. Iain was known for his sharp mind, principled politics and deep commitment to social justice. The event heard speeches from many who knew him including John McDonnell MP and former MP Greg Hands. They spoke not just of his political achievements but of his warmth, humour and the respect he commanded across parties. It was a poignant reminder of the impact one dedicated public servant can have on a community and on those who worked alongside him.
Best wishes,
Andy
andy@andyslaughter.com
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