Severn Trent responds after reports of ‘brown water’ coming out of taps in Chesterfield homes

Discoloured water was seen coming out of taps in several homes across Somersall and Brampton in Chesterfield on May 21 and the morning of May 22.

Residents of areas affected have received a text message from Severn Trent, informing them of a burst pipe early on May 22.

The message reads: “We are very sorry if you are experiencing lower water pressure or no supply at this time. We have identified a burst water pipe which is causing this. Our engineers are on the way and will assess the burst and start the repair as soon as possible. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may be causing.”

The pipe had been fixed after 3 pm the same day and residents have been informed that the issue was resolved – but many were left concerned about why their water was brown.

Following the incident, Ashley Holland, Water Network Regional Lead at Severn Trent said: “Some customers may have experienced some slight discolouration to their tap water earlier this week, which was due to a burst water pipe that our team quickly repaired.

“The discolouration is a result of natural, harmless deposits that build up at the bottom of the pipe over time that are disturbed when there’s a change of flow in the water pipe. While it may look a bit unpleasant, it's nothing to worry about and should clear when taps are run for a couple of minutes.”

Further information about orange or brown coloured water can be found on a dedicated website.