UNITED Utilities has apologised to Burtonwood residents after the village's water supply was cut off for three hours.

Contractors carrying out maintenance work removed a small section of pipe on Chapel Lane on Tuesday, February 19, after isolating one of two supply lines.

They inadvertently cut off water to hundreds of residential and business properties including Burtonwood's two primary schools and three nursing homes.

Despite this apology Burtonwood councillor Terry O'Neill thinks the company's lack of action in solving continuing problems is farcical and has called on its chief executive John Roberts to resign.

Clr O'Neill believes a faulty pumping station at Winwick which has caused low water pressure in Burtonwood for two years was again at fault, along with a faulty valve on the other line.

The Labour councillor said: "The surge of pressure tripped out the pumps at the station, so they switched them on again but it still didn't come back on.

"I went with the workers and we checked each stopcock in Chapel Lane and then the workman told me there was no water in the other feed and there must be another fault.

"They should have checked that before they started anything. That's incompetence not by the workers on the ground, but by the management at a senior level."

Clr O'Neill has complained to United Utilities bosses and says he was told it is waiting for the new Omega development before it repairs the faults.

He said: "I have been told it is being discussed at the highest level but nothing is being done and if nothing is being done he (Mr Roberts) should think about his position.

"I would like clarification about what their future plans are.

"Are they thinking of putting larger pipes in to service Omega and Burtonwood and if they are, do we have an assurance that we will take any priority?"

A UU spokesman said the temporary loss of water happened during improvement work.

He said: "We were replacing an old, cast iron length of pipe with new plastic pipe, which will improve water quality for local people. While carrying out this routine work, part of the pipe network in the area became isolated, which meant that supply could not get through.

"We apologised sincerely for any inconvenience this caused. Once we became aware of the problem, we took steps to rectify it immediately."