Leicester residents are braving long queues to purchase large packs of bottled water in the local Costco. Some shoppers only have bulk cases of water in their cart. Others meet the employee bringing new stocks through a utility cart to ensure they won't run out of supplies.
The Costco scene has been going on for days as people fear running out of water due to the ongoing heatwave and recent water crisis in Leicestershire. Some social media users have called shoppers greedy for bulk-buying four- to five-packs per trolley.
'Scary To Watch'
'It's genuinely terrifying to watch people turn on each other over even a small shortage. If a real, large-scale scarcity ever hit the world, everything could spiral into chaos frighteningly fast,' an X (formerly Twitter) user said. Some users fear the water will only be resold at higher prices.
Many agree that limits should be imposed on purchases, especially as Leicestershire residents are not only experiencing a heatwave but a water crisis as well. Waltman on the Wolds, for example, has a water issue due to a leak in a nearby pipe.
Amy Cox, who was interviewed by the BBC's local regional bureau, raised concerns about her father, who is living on Mere Road, which is without running water for close to two weeks. 'We have got to keep him clean, we've got to keep him hydrated,' Cox said. 'The medication he's on dehydrates him so we need cool flowing water that's a constant and it's just not available.'
Water shortage in Leicester Costco goes mad! 😳 pic.twitter.com/rv9xEcnU7m
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Severn Trent Water is pointing to the Melton Borough Council to take responsibility. Cox said she was frustrated trying to reach Severn Trent Water. 'You ring Severn Trent and you get told you'll get a call back but hear nothing. We've been given bottles of water, but that's all we've had.'
Other residents have complained about the back and forth between Severn Trent and the council without presenting real solutions. A spokesperson for Severn Trent said: 'Our teams visited to understand what was happening and found the cause is a leak on the private joint supply pipe, not related to the Severn Trent network. We have spoken with the council, who are taking responsibility to get this fixed and the issue resolved as quickly as possible for the customers.'
The Council, for its part, said: 'We recognise the significant impact this issue is having on those affected, and resolving it as quickly as possible remains a priority. Our officers remain in regular contact with affected tenants, providing support where needed.
Parts of Grand Union Canal Closed
Elsewhere in Leicestershire, parts of the Grand Union Canal have been closed due to the lack of rainfall. The Canal and River Trust (CRT) called the situation the 'longest unbroken spell of no recorded rainfall this century.' As a result, CRT suspended boat passage between Kings Lock and Kibworth.
The closure will be imposed until such time as the water level recovers. Some parts of the canal bed have become visible due to the dry spell. 'The situation with low flows can be exacerbated because of misuse, plus the ageing nature of the canal network, where water naturally seeps away from the canal,' a CRT spokesperson said.
