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| Army teams to help provide water | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The army is to help ditribute bottled water across Gloucestershire following complaints that bowsers were not being topped up fast enough. | |
| Some 350,000 people could be without mains water for two weeks after a water treatment plant was deluged by the swollen River Severn. | Some 350,000 people could be without mains water for two weeks after a water treatment plant was deluged by the swollen River Severn. |
| There are up to 900 bowsers across the county, with the army also shipping in bottled water to distribution points. | There are up to 900 bowsers across the county, with the army also shipping in bottled water to distribution points. |
| A Severn Trent Water spokeswoman said the company was addressing the problem. | A Severn Trent Water spokeswoman said the company was addressing the problem. |
| "The army is giving us assistance and with their logistical experience and military operation, we should hopefully see an improvement," she said. | "The army is giving us assistance and with their logistical experience and military operation, we should hopefully see an improvement," she said. |
| "They are emptying faster than we can fill them." | "They are emptying faster than we can fill them." |
| Police said some people had been maliciously emptying bowsers, while others had been selling bowser water. | Police said some people had been maliciously emptying bowsers, while others had been selling bowser water. |
| We've got jobs and we can't spend all day looking for water Gloucester resident | We've got jobs and we can't spend all day looking for water Gloucester resident |
| One woman managed to fill just a quarter of a four litre bottle on Thursday and said she would have to spend most of the day coming back and forth hoping the bowser near her home had been refilled. | One woman managed to fill just a quarter of a four litre bottle on Thursday and said she would have to spend most of the day coming back and forth hoping the bowser near her home had been refilled. |
| "I came down here five times yesterday and there was nothing. We can't put up with much more of this," she said. | "I came down here five times yesterday and there was nothing. We can't put up with much more of this," she said. |
| "We've got jobs and we can't spend all day looking for water." | "We've got jobs and we can't spend all day looking for water." |
| On the Coney Hill estate, residents complained that bowsers had not been filled since Monday and claimed some units had been vandalised as soon as they were replenished. | On the Coney Hill estate, residents complained that bowsers had not been filled since Monday and claimed some units had been vandalised as soon as they were replenished. |
| Tony Wray, managing director of Severn Trent Water, said delays were down to the logistical difficulties in getting to the bowers. | Tony Wray, managing director of Severn Trent Water, said delays were down to the logistical difficulties in getting to the bowers. |
| Chief Constable Tim Brain praised community spirit, but said there had been some incidences of disorder and people acting selfishly. | Chief Constable Tim Brain praised community spirit, but said there had been some incidences of disorder and people acting selfishly. |
| "I regret to say that there have been a very small number of confirmed crimes. Where criminal activity takes place the constabulary will treat those as normal crimes, arrest the offenders and prosecute them," he said. | "I regret to say that there have been a very small number of confirmed crimes. Where criminal activity takes place the constabulary will treat those as normal crimes, arrest the offenders and prosecute them," he said. |
| "We are working hard to get more bowsers and fill them. This is an enormous logistical operation. | "We are working hard to get more bowsers and fill them. This is an enormous logistical operation. |
| "We will strive with everything that we have to get confirmed deliveries of water across the county." | "We will strive with everything that we have to get confirmed deliveries of water across the county." |
| Some residents have complained about a lack of water | Some residents have complained about a lack of water |
| Large underground tanks at the flooded Mythe Water Treatment Centre have been pumped out and engineers are assessing the damage caused to the station. | Large underground tanks at the flooded Mythe Water Treatment Centre have been pumped out and engineers are assessing the damage caused to the station. |
| But it has been estimated that it could be up to two weeks before the centre is fully operational. | But it has been estimated that it could be up to two weeks before the centre is fully operational. |
| Mr Wray added: "We're making good headway in pumping the site out; in getting to our equipment, drying it out and repairing it. | Mr Wray added: "We're making good headway in pumping the site out; in getting to our equipment, drying it out and repairing it. |
| "If we continue to go at the rate that we're operating, we hope to test on the site the basic recommissioning that we need to do this weekend." | "If we continue to go at the rate that we're operating, we hope to test on the site the basic recommissioning that we need to do this weekend." |
| Gloucestershire County Council has bought 500 portable toilets and 900 potties for use by elderly and vulnerable people, particularly those in care homes. | Gloucestershire County Council has bought 500 portable toilets and 900 potties for use by elderly and vulnerable people, particularly those in care homes. |
| More than five million litres of bottled water were delivered and distributed at 21 centres across the county on Wednesday. | More than five million litres of bottled water were delivered and distributed at 21 centres across the county on Wednesday. |
| Road clean-up | Road clean-up |
| The army said there will be no shortage of bottled water. | The army said there will be no shortage of bottled water. |
| The county council has retained supplying bottled water to the vulnerable, including the elderly. | The county council has retained supplying bottled water to the vulnerable, including the elderly. |
| "We want everyone to act as eyes and ears to establish any elderly or disabled people who might need help," the chief executive said. | "We want everyone to act as eyes and ears to establish any elderly or disabled people who might need help," the chief executive said. |
| The clean-up of the county's roads has also begun, he added. | The clean-up of the county's roads has also begun, he added. |