UPDATE

Families living in the 160 flats at Foundry Court in Mill Street, Slough are still without running water - FOUR DAYS after the supply went off.

Resident Zainab Afzal lives in a two bedroom flat with her husband and two young children aged one and four.

She is angry with the property management company Hazelvine which runs the flats, saying: "They have not provided any portaloos or even mentioned providing alternative accommodation for the many families here. Residents are struggling at a time where hygiene is more crucial than ever and we are being urged by the government to ‘keep washing our hands’ to prevent coronavirus. How can we possibly do this when we have no water. The companies in charge have no regard for us at all. This is an absolute disgrace."

This morning resident Antony Quarrell, who lives there with his wife and nine months old daughter said bottled water was delivered to the flats yesterday afternoon - enough to provide 16 bottles per flat in his block.

But he feels earlier deliveries were totally inadequate.

He said the initial response to people who called Hazelvine was that they could only be reimbursed for five litre bottles of water a day from Tesco - barely enough to flush a lavatory once. This was later reversed in an email from Managing Director Nigel Bernand, who told residents to buy what they needed but keep the receipts.

Mr Quarrell said: "We have had to move to a hotel next door at our own expense over the weekend - it cost £160 a night. We have gone home to cook but there is a huge amount of washing up and laundry. You cannot keep a young child in a situation like that."

He said the Housing Association A2 Dominion which is responsible for the flats, Hazelvine and Thames Water - who are responsible for the water supply - had all refused to help fund alternative accommodation while the water was off, claiming it was not their responsibility.

Mr Quarrell said: "At a time of national health crisis you would think these three companies could work together in the interests of health and safety. A2 and Thames Water have done absolutely nothing and left it to Hazelvine who said 'it is not us'.

"It is very disappointing. Surely it is the responsibility of all three to work together to help the elderly and disabled."

In an email to residents Nigel Burnand, the managing director of Hazelvine admits the cost of repairs is not covered by the building's insurance but says a claim could be made on Thames Water, as he believes a burst water main overwhelmed the building's own water distribution system.

Thames Water denies this.

Mr Quarrell says he fears residents could end up being billed for the estimated cost of the new pump needed to restore the water supply which comes to £38,800.