Old folk living in a sheltered housing complex had to collect water from a street standpipe after a major water pipe burst.
Firefighters were called to Florence Longman House in Weymouth Street, Hemel Hempstead, at around 9.30pm on Saturday.
Crews used a light-weight pump to drain the water, which had flooded the ground floor of the property, while the water board shut off the supply. One resident, 77-year-old Edward Matthews, said: “We are all elderly, some really disabled, and cannot carry water. I think the whole situation is terrible.”
A Dacorum Borough Council spokesman said: “No flats were affected and we are not anticipating any permanent damage to the building. Repair work took place as soon as officers were able to buy the specialist fitting, and the residents’ water service was back to normal by 11am this morning (Monday).”