Villagers told to pay £30,000 to get connected to water supply after their well ran dry

The elderly residents of a stunning 15th century moorland hamlet have been told to fork out £30,000 to get connected to mains water supply after their well ran dry.

Five homes in Weeder Square, in Crompton Moor in the South Pennines, have happily used their 200-year-old underground well for water for decades.

But during the last two summers it has run dry - forcing residents to borrow water from their local fire station to flush the loo and take a bath.

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The seven residents are some of the last remaining 0.1 per cent of the country who are not on the mains water supply.

The elderly residents of a stunning 15th century moorland hamlet have been told to fork out £30,000 to get connected to mains water supply after their well ran dry.The elderly residents of a stunning 15th century moorland hamlet have been told to fork out £30,000 to get connected to mains water supply after their well ran dry.
The elderly residents of a stunning 15th century moorland hamlet have been told to fork out £30,000 to get connected to mains water supply after their well ran dry.

They claim water supplier United Utilities has now quoted them £30,000 to dig a trench and fit a water pipe to the mains - which is just 150 metres away.

It will also cost residents more than £400 to obtain an official quotation from the water firm.

Locals blame recently-planted trees nearby for sucking up water which used to fill their well.

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But the council said the well is leaking, and said its up to the homeowners to sort it out because the houses are privately owned.

Martin Fielding, 62, and his wife Gail, 63, claim they've been quoted £70,000 to fix it - a bill they can't afford - and face going without water next summer.

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The well has enough water to keep them going throughout winter, but over the past two summers, a lack of rain has meant the well has run dry for weeks at a time, in July and August.

Martin, a retired carpet shop owner and market stall holder, said: "I have to borrow a water bowser and drive three miles to the fire station and ask for water so we can flush toilets and wash.

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"We are only 150m from main water supply but a connection will cost £30,000 - this kind of money is just not possible when you're in your 80s. But come summer we are desperate for water, and again our local council have said they won’t do anything.

"I always thought everyone had a right to fresh water. We're all stressed out about it, especially come summer. Even into May we're just praying that it rains in May. If it doesn't, we know we're going to have a hot summer.

"We've been sorting the issue out with a water bowser [at the fire station] because the others can't do it. They're in their 80s - they can't do anything. At least we can help, and have friends that can help us. The next day, it's gone and we do it again."

Martin says for the last two summers they have had spells of four to six weeks of no water.

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He says the hamlet residents blame the council after they planted trees above the well. It's believed the plants - which have now matured into large trees - are guzzling any available water during dry spells.

But Oldham Council claim during an assessment in February 2021, officers found damage to the well is to blame.

Either way, during the summer, Martin, who has a pacemaker and suffers with a bad back and asthma, spends four hours a day refilling the well. He gets supplied from a fire station three miles away.

He claims he could "flee to a caravan" for the summer, but feels he couldn't leave his frail neighbours to suffer without water during a potential heatwave.

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Martin and Gail say water supplier United Utilities quoted them £30,000 to dig a trench and fit a water pipe to the mains - which is just 150 metres away.

The couple also claim a local councillor suggested work to fix the well, believed to be a couple of hundred years old, could cost £70,000.

Gail, a retired seamstress, says they were told the council could support them with funding this, but has since "wiped their hands of us".

She added: "When we moved in [five years ago], the hamlet had not run out of water for over 30 years so we didn't think it would be a problem."

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Meanwhile, in summer residents have to limit their water use, often using launderette and only flushing the toilet when absolutely necessary.

Oldham Council said: “Officers carried out a risk assessment in February last year and found defects in the water tanks and the pipes that serves them. Our staff also found the pipe serving the tanks isn’t fitted properly meaning it isn’t catching all the spring water so this can also lead to it drying out.

“Council officers have been in regular touch with the residents over the years and do sympathise with them. We’ve offered advice and support where we can as we have a duty to risk assess and sample all private water supplies every five years.

"Mr Fielding rents out one of the properties and because of this it’s classed as a business and has to be sampled every year. We have also given the residents contact details for a firm that can provide water to fill the tanks. This is the responsibility of the homeowners, not the council or United Utilities.

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“These are privately owned properties and it is the responsibility of the owner to rectify the issue."

Weeder Square is located uphill of the mains network and would require around 100m of new pipe to be dug and fitted and due to the geography of the area, water would also need to be pumped to reach the houses. As a result, the cost of installing mains water would be higher.

"We are happy to work with the residents of Weeder Square if they wish to be connected to the mains network," a United Utilities spokesperson said.

"However, as with all new connections, there would be a cost involved. This is based on a number of factors including the geography of the site and the length of pipe that would need to be installed.”