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Brighton and Hove City Council has declined to identify the contractors rebuilding and resurfacing Western Road after two leaking water pipes were discovered beneath the carriageway. The council says the leaks were existing failures on Southern Water assets, not confirmed damage caused by the roadworks. Southern Water repaired a major leak in four days, while hundreds of homes and businesses were left without running water during the flooding.
What happened on Western Road
The council began a major reconstruction and resurfacing scheme on Western Road in late September 2026. Surveys had found significant deterioration below the road surface, so the project required deeper excavation than a standard resurfacing treatment. The planned work period was about six weeks.
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During that excavation, contractors found two leaks from water pipes beneath the road. Councillor Trevor Muten, the council’s cabinet member for transport and city infrastructure, said: “While work was being carried out to reconstruct and resurface Western Road, contractors discovered two existing leaks from water pipes beneath the road.”
Muten added that “Southern Water have confirmed the leaks are on their assets and are currently on site assessing and repairing the leaks.” The council said dealing with ageing water infrastructure while the road was already closed could reduce the risk of a separate excavation and further disruption after reconstruction.
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Which company is carrying out the roadworks?
That remains unresolved. Brighton and Hove City Council declined a request to name the contractors delivering the road-improvement scheme. The available account does not identify a principal contractor, subcontractors or the contractual split between the roadworks team and Southern Water.
Consequently, it is not possible to state which company is responsible for the Western Road reconstruction, who excavated the precise section where the leaks were found, or who will reinstate the carriageway after the water repairs. Names from unrelated council frameworks should not be treated as evidence of involvement in this project.
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- Industry Leading IP67 Waterproof: Its IP67 waterproof rating ensures durability against spills, humidity, and accidental submersion.It can be used multiple times after wiping dry.
- Four-level volume adjustment: Customize your own alarm to fit your life! Use the app to adjust the volume in 4 levels, with a maximum alarm volume of 105 decibels. Whether it's day or night, whether it's in the bedroom or the basement, you can find the right volume.
| Question | What is established |
|---|---|
| Who owned the leaking pipes? | Southern Water, according to the council’s statement. |
| Who repaired the leaks? | Southern Water was on site assessing and repairing them. |
| Who was the roadworks contractor? | The council declined to name the contractor or contractors. |
| Did the roadworks cause the leaks? | No. The council described them as existing leaks; the available reporting does not establish causation. |
Impact on residents, businesses and traffic
The flooding caused a substantial interruption to supplies. Reporting published on 16 October 2026 said hundreds of homes and businesses were without running water while the road flooded. No more precise public total was given.
New Civil Engineer reported that the major water-main leak took Southern Water four days to fix. That is the reported repair duration for the major leak, not a stated completion time for every associated reinstatement or for the wider Western Road project.
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The incident added pressure to traders already affected by the closure. Many Western Road businesses reportedly lacked rear access and relied on deliveries through the front of their premises. Disability groups also warned that proposed red-route restrictions could make access more difficult for people with mobility impairments or limited vision.
Why the council is not naming the contractors
The council has not publicly supplied a reason for withholding the contractor names. The available reporting therefore supports only the fact of the refusal, not an explanation such as commercial confidentiality, procurement rules or an ongoing investigation.
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That distinction matters when assigning responsibility. Southern Water’s confirmed ownership of the pipes establishes its role as the asset owner and repair organisation. It does not, by itself, establish that the roadworks team caused the failures. Conversely, discovering a leak during excavation does not prove that the leak was created by excavation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Were the leaks caused by the roadworks?
The council’s wording points to pre-existing leaks: it called them “existing leaks” and said they were on Southern Water assets. However, the published material does not include an engineering investigation, a damage assessment, a timeline showing when each pipe failed, or a finding that rules in or rules out accidental contact during the works.
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The defensible position is therefore limited: the leaks were discovered during reconstruction, Southern Water accepted responsibility for the water assets and carried out repairs, and causation between the roadworks and the leaks has not been established publicly.
What happens to the road project now?
The council’s stated approach was to address the water infrastructure during the existing closure, rather than reopen a newly reconstructed road later for emergency utility work. The original scheme was expected to last about six weeks, but the available reports do not provide a revised completion date after the leaks.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchResponsibility for final excavation backfill, surfacing and any inspection or sign-off remains unclear because the council has not identified the roadworks contractors or published the contractual arrangements. Residents and traders should rely on current council and Southern Water notices for changes to access, supply or traffic management.
What is still unknown
- The name of the main roadworks contractor and any subcontractors.
- Whether an independent investigation will determine how long the leaks had existed.
- The repair cost, any compensation for affected homes or businesses and how costs will be allocated.
- The revised date for completing Western Road reconstruction.
- Whether the council will publish procurement records or a formal response identifying the delivery team.
Anyone who lost supply or experienced reduced pressure was asked by the council to report the problem directly to Southern Water.
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