Water about to be shut off. Household of 14 over Christmas.

[HelloVeritas]

Send prayers. Southern Water warning we could be without water later today and over Christmas due to burst water main.

We are hosting a large multi generational household this year of very excited family but I need help to plan ahead from the Mumsnet preppers.

I'm up now peeling all the Christmas veg while we do still have water.

Plan so far is:

1. everyone have a poo
2. use the pond for water supply to flush loos
3. drink champagne to remain hydrated
4. shave legs now while still possible

I feel that there must be more to it then that, what have I missed? 🤣

If it's anything like when things happened to us, it'll be at some remote place with hours long queues. Southern Water as well.

Agree with this. You cannot host without a flushable toilet. 🤢

Ask the water company where the nearest bowser is parked up.
Have any of the household got any medical need for more water (incontinence etc)? If so get on to them.
Preplan-fill a paddling pool with water/collect rain water for loo flushing.
When going to the loo remember "If it's brown flush it down. If it's yellow let it mellow. "

It's probably a bit late for that and why ruin Christmas, pulling through for a few hours woth a bit of prep should be no problem and might actually be something you look back and laugh about. Just make sure you've plenty of hand gel and fill the bath so the toilets can be flushed with the water.

I would relocate to one of your guests' houses. It won't be funny a few hours in. All it will take is one dodgy tummy and it'll get grim very quickly. Not being able to wash hands under running water mean any germs being harboured will be shared with the whole clan.

14 people just for Christmas day or 14 people staying for a number of days?

You're near me then.

All the literature is requesting that people don't fill baths or store water whilst it's still on, as it'll make the leak harder to repair.

If everyone did what you're planning, we'd all be without water.

Please stick to the champagne for hydration and do what you've been asked to do. Leave the bath and paddling pool empty for my and all your neighbours sakes.

Bloody hell, where do you live?!

This would enough to make me move..

Why does it make leaks harder to repair as a matter of interest?

Are they likely to fix it quickly? If not how are you all meant to flush the loo (over C'mas when you can't get access to loos in pubs etc) ??

They cannot stay. End of. You need flushing water for that many people.
I would rather stay at my house and have a sparse Xmas than stay somewhere without running water.

I don't know!

I'm not an engineer!

One of many places the message to not stockpile water has gone out.

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/homes-in-hastings-could-face-christmas-without-water-following-mains-burst-5454637

Watching uncle bob’s post-Christmas-dinner poo float about would “ruin” Christmas much more than loading up the presents and veg and decamping to his house with his hot water tap and flushing loo.

I think if you could do Christmas somewhere else that would be better...

If not, then fill the bath up with tap water as a starting point. Get some jugs etc filled up too. Everyone should probably also have a shower while you wait for running water.

Oh, apparently you shouldn't be doing that. I wonder why?

Edit: Okay, the link above is basically saying that they're doing their best to keep water supplies on and if people minimise their water use that will be more possible. At the moment they're basically just pumping water in faster than it can flow out I think. Hence if everyone fills their baths up it's more likely the water pressure ends up dropping below a manageable level, I think?

I would be so fucked off if I turned up to my hosts, looking forward to Christmas, and they handed me a bucket for the loo and told me there was no water. I’d turn around and go back home. No way would I want to slum it with 13 other unwashed people in a house where you can’t flush the toilet.

We had our water cut off for a couple of weeks (maybe more) after the floods of 2007 got into our water plant.

Advice. Asks guests to bring some bottles of water - the more you've got the better. The authorities try, but water was limited here the first 2-3 days - ie maximum of four bottles a household and you couldn't have extra for someone else (so had to get back in the long queue). Wipes and flannels are handy, even if you have to share flannels.

If you've got a bath, fill up totally with water - really handy for putting down the toilet. Wash hair now and plan to go swimming as part of a day trip some time after Xmas. Washing machine one. You never quite know when you need the toilet, but ask people to limit toilet paper - the less you're trying to flush away the better.

Why would they turn up unwashed?

All I would care about is dry hair shampoo and ensure the freezer is packed full of ice for the cocktails!

🥂

Assuming Op has one bath, and at least one other loo, think that through. People waiting for someone in the bathroom to finish so they can get a bucket 🪣 to flush the other loo.

Meanwhile someone else is desperate for the loo, ones occupied and the other has a turd.

I'd be on the phone to the nearest relative, can we 'host' in your house 🏠. Move the venue. Even if it means carting chairs over I'd move the location of Christmas dinner

Obviously you have pre-filled bottles or buckets in the spare toilet to use. Then you fill those from the bath as needed, it really isn't that tricky.

When a mains blew here the water company came round with big packs of bottled water.

I'm still smiling over the idea that the hygiene risk maybe drinking from someone else's champagne flute (PP).

Good luck OP - I think I'd probably look for an alternative venue given that numbers.

I wouldn’t dream of imposing on someone as a guest if they had no water. I would offer to host instead or, if that was impossible, suggest delaying until later in the Christmas period.

It’ll be fine surely, you can flush toilets with water from anywhere, it doesn’t have to come out of the cistern. You can wash hands with surprisingly little water or wipes. You’ll need water for cooking and washing up but again, can wipe or rinse things with bottled or pond water and then stack them in the dishwasher for later.

This wouldn’t faze my family one bit!

Huge sympathies!!

Having just been through the hell of no water for a week and then a 10 day boil water notice, (we are in Tunbridge Wells) I would redistribute my guests/take Christmas to someone who has water. It was hell having no flushing loos or water to wash hands in, and washing up in a bucket for 4 of us, but 12 people for Christmas with no loos or running water for cleaning and cooking - it sounds like a health disaster in the making....!

(I wouldn't be believing any of the timeframes given either ......)

How long do you really think that bathtub is going to stay full with FOURTEEN people using it to flush the loo?
On Christmas Day when everyone has over indulged on the food and drink?

I would think relatives were utterly mad (and selfish) not to have given us the heads up, and expected us all to still crowd round their house with no water.