Fortnight of misery from water leaks that ‘smell of sewage’
By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
South London residents say they were ‘soaked’ by water smelling of sewage by leaks in their tower block.
People living in Lambeth council-managed Rundell Tower in Clapham Road, Stockwell, said the problem was so bad it felt like it was raining inside the building.
The leak, which residents said appeared to be coming from the first floor, caused the ground floor lobby to be covered in a giant puddle. Meanwhile water from the leak trickled down the lower flights of stairs in the tower, leaving them slippery.
Resident Daniel Troncoso said the two-week long leak was concerning. The 25-year-old said: “We’ve had continuous leaks and flooding on the ground floor. It’s so bad that you can’t get in or out without getting soaked, and it smells like sewage.
“There’s also another leak in the staircase, making it feel like it’s raining inside. The smell and damp are not just unpleasant—they’re a health hazard. We’ve reported this to the housing authority multiple times, but nothing’s been done. We’re living in awful conditions, and it’s really worrying.”
Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “It’s horrible. You come out of the lift and step straight into a smelly puddle. It doesn’t bear thinking about what’s in the water. It reeks.
“The worst is when it drips on you. It’s worse than getting caught in the rain because at least you know that’s fresh from the sky. Someone put a couple of buckets out to catch the water but it’s nothing in the grand scheme of things.”
A council spokesman said: “We have been working hard to fix this leak in Rundell Tower since it was reported to us. However, it has proved to be a complicated repair and we have had problems gaining access to the source of the leak, so it has taken longer than expected to resolve it.
“We have apologised to residents for the delay and the disruption it has caused them. Our staff have now fixed the leak and we have now informed residents.”
Pictured top: Bin filled with water from leak at Rundell Tower (Picture: LDRS/Supplied)
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