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Conncillors and traders have demanded answers from Thames Water over how it will prevent future water mains bursts after last week’s devastating floods in Angel.

Millions of gallons of water gushed down Camden Passage before wrecking basements in Charlton Place and Devonia Road last Monday after a major arterial pipe burst in Upper Street. It was the third time in 20 years that the 1850s cast-iron pipe had ruptured in the same place.

Flood victims have blamed Thames Water for failing to invest in its infrastructure, and Islington Council is demanding answers from the company about how it will prevent future bursts.

St Peter’s ward councillor Martin Klute said: “The suspicion is that Thames Water are bodging up the pipe again rather than fixing it. This work needs to be done properly. We can’t have millions of pounds worth of damage to homes and businesses again. It’s simply not acceptable. They could introduce two-way traffic on the other side of the road for a couple of months so they can replace the pipe – there are solutions to this.”

The council and local groups, including the Islington Society and the Angel Association, are planning to write to the water company to seek assurances.

Christine Lovett, chief executive of Angel.London, the business improvement district, added: “This is the third time in 20 years that this has happened and we need to have full confidence that the repair has been carried out properly. We as businesses want to have those questions answered.”

Some residents in Charlton Place and Devonia Road will not be able to return home for six months while kitchens and basements are being stripped, dried out and completely refurbished.

The floods caused damage to some 35 businesses in and around Camden Passage, Islington’s antiques quarter, just weeks before Christmas. Millions of pounds worth of irreplaceable antiques, some from the 16th century, were destroyed by the water.

Thames Water’s bill is estimated to be in the tens of millions of pounds.

This week, the clean-up continued as most antiques traders affected by severe flooding in Pierrepont Row, an arcade of 14 shops, reopened. But some face having to close for months after Christmas to have their shops dried out and refurbished.

Pauline Coakley Webb, of Style Gallery, said she had already been compensated for part of the damage by Thames Water.

“We should be sending them the bill and they should pay it, and it looks like they’re playing ball at the moment,” she said.

Others, such as Finbar McDonnell, whose shop selling antique prints and maps off Camden Passage was flooded, had still to embark on the painstaking work of photographing every damaged item before making a claim.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said this week the water company needed to “up its game”. He called for a full investigation and said residents and businesses “must now get full compensation, and receive it quickly”.

Thames Water has installed a listening device on the pipe in Upper Street to help detect big bursts before they happen.

It has surveyed the section of pipe to look for other leaks.

Thames Water director Bob Collington said: “I am personally devastated for those who have suffered flooding so close to Christmas. We are doing everything we can to help them and will make sure they are not left out of pocket for what has happened.

“The bursts are a clear reminder that we need to keep investing in our ageing and sometimes fragile network, with many pipes in Islington well over 100 years old.

“I have started a full investigation into recent events to understand what has gone wrong. As a top priority, I will look at every single way possible to reduce the risk of any further disruption.”

Repairs to the water main are expected to be finished by noon tomorrow (Saturday).