The Londoners living without access to water for six months as temperatures rise: ‘It’s unbearable’

Residents of an East London housing association estate have been without a consistent supply of water since December 2025, leaving them to rely on water bottles to hydrate and clean themselves.

At least eight blocks of flats in Bromley-by-Bow are affected, with residents reporting complete loss of water and low pressure for over six months.

Poplar HARCA, the housing association that manages the properties, was made aware of the issue in December.

But despite repeated complaints — and increasing stress on residents due to high temperatures — there is no timeline for the works to be completed.

Razna Begum, 65, and Abdul Hai, 69, are among the affected residents. Razna suffers from chronic arthritis, and Abdul has been wearing a back brace for the past month due to an injury.

They live in Langmead House with their 24-year-old son, who is struggling with an eczema flare-up due to the recent heatwave.

“We thought it was temporary,” their daughter Sherin, who grew up in the flat, said. “When mum told me about it, I thought that would get resolved — we just weren’t anticipating it going on for this long.”

Razna said that the inconsistent water supply has affected her mental health. “Every day and every night, I don’t know if the water is coming or not. Sometimes I’m ready to have my shower at seven and the water is gone.”

“I’m very stressed. At my age, we’re thinking we should be able to relax, but we can’t relax.”

Razna and Abdul had no water over the second May bank holiday, when temperatures reached 34 degrees celsius. They struggled to get through to Poplar HARCA after calling three times.

They also woke up on the morning of Eid al-Adha, one of the main Islam festivals, to find they had no access to water. This left them unable to celebrate as they usually would, as they were unable to cook for visitors or allow them to use the toilet.

Sherin, who was helping to translate for her parents, expressed concern for other vulnerable residents in the building.

“There’s one lady who is a recovering cancer patient,” she said. “What she’s doing is going to stay at her sister’s house because she just can’t cope without basic necessities. I’m just baffled by the whole situation.

“And with my parents, there is a language barrier, but they can get by. For others [who don’t speak English], I wonder, oh my goodness, how are they coping? Because they won’t be able to call up and ask for an update. They would need somebody to advocate for them.”

According to community union Acorn, the affected residents also include a woman undergoing dialysis treatment and a young woman living with epilepsy.

Poplar HARCA told Big Issue that the existing water pump system for the buildings is unable to meet demand due to low water pressure in the area.

However, Razna and Abdul have lived in their flat since 1982 and said they had never experienced issues with their water pressure before last year.

To address this issue, Poplar HARCA said it must complete a formal consultation procedure with leaseholders before it can carry out the required works.

In the meantime, the housing association has been delivering water bottles to the affected blocks and, in letters sent to residents at the beginning of this year, directed them to the nearest free shower facilities, which are all over a mile away.

A group of 65 residents signed a petition for an “immediate and permanent” solution to the water supply issue.

This was sent to Uma Kumaran, Labour MP for Stratford and Bow, who told Big Issue: “Access to water is a basic right, yet residents of Devons Road estate have been denied that right for far too long. It’s a serious failure of one of the most fundamental duties a landlord owes to their tenants, especially during a record-breaking heatwave.

“I am pushing Poplar HARCA to take urgent action, full accountability, and set out a clear and swift timetable for repairs. Their current response time falls short of the standards that residents expect, and even Poplar HARCA’s own thresholds for emergency action. I am prepared to escalate this issue even further still, if this mess can’t be sorted out.

“Residents deserve transparency, accountability and, above all, the dignity of safe living conditions.”

The MP has written to Poplar HARCA, arguing that this is a matter of urgent health and welfare and calling for a timeframe for works to be completed.

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Acorn has also written to Poplar HARCA demanding an action plan to resolve the issue as well as compensation for the water charges paid by residents since December.

The housing association has written to residents to confirm the expected date that works will be instructed to start but there is no date set for them to be completed.

In response, Poplar HARCA said: “We recognise the disruption this has caused residents and the impact on their daily lives. We’re providing regular updates, targeted support for households, bottled water and alternative washing facilities when needed.

“The permanent solution requires the installation of new booster pumps, which is subject to statutory consultation with leaseholders. This process is underway and once complete, we’ll confirm the timetable for the works, including start and completion dates, and keep residents informed throughout.

“Residents requiring emergency repairs can contact us at any time, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays, on 0800 035 1991, with this information always available on our website.”

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