United Utilities responds after ‘water seeping from pipes’ claim

United Utilities has responded after Liverpool City Council said water was seeping from the water company's pipes in the area where a married couple drowned during heavy flooding.

Elaine and Philip Marco^[1], 75 and 77 respectively, died after their Mercedes car became submerged in flood water below a railway bridge on Queens Drive, Mossley Hill^[2] on August 26. Despite the efforts of the emergency services, who battled to remove the couple from the car, the pair were pronounced dead at hospital.

The shocking deaths of the much-loved members of the south Liverpool Jewish community caused grief and shock around the city, and resulted in questions being asked why action had not been taken sooner in the Queens Drive area, after decades of dangerous flooding incidents.^[3] The often busy road has remained closed since the tragedy while Liverpool City Council and multiple partners have continued investigations.

A Liverpool City Council^[6] update dated the the end of last week^[7] said Huyton Asphalt had dug holes where the flooding happened to determine a cause. A council spokesperson^[8] said: "Initial findings have shown water seeping from United Utilities pipes. The excavated holes are now being checked, to assess their stability.

"The underlying ground remains saturated from the flooding as the trial holes are continuously filling with water. United Utilities have been informed of a small water leak on one of their fresh water supplies. This is being programmed in for repair and will have to be completed before the road is resurfaced."

However, United Utilities has now told the ECHO^[9] there have been no detected water leaks in the area and were confused by the council statement. A United Utilities spokesperson said today: "There was no burst water pipe at the time of the incident and our investigations since then have not detected any water leaks in the area.

"Therefore there are no water pipe repairs planned and we have confirmed this with the council. We will of course continue to give our full support to the ongoing investigation."

Councillor Liam Robinson, leader of the council^[10], called on partner agencies involved to make a "pacy intervention" to ensure the road could reopen as quickly as possible. Cllr Robinson, alongside cabinet colleague Cllr Dan Barrington, ward member and deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Richard Kemp and Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside^[11], recently visited the site.

Cllr Robinson told the ECHO^[12]: "We’ll use all the influence available to us, that if there are recommendations to other organisations and agencies like United Utilities or Network Rail, we will pursue that to make sure that is done.

"One of the things I am doing off the back of this morning’s visit is writing to United Utilities and Network Rail^[13], to ask for their pacy intervention on the investigation so we can really move forward and understand what we need to do to make the area safe and make sure those instances can’t be repeated and ultimately we can hopefully reopen the road and go back to how things need to be."

Following their death, Elaine and Philip were called the "most loving, generous and kind-hearted parents and grandparents^[14]" by their heartbroken family. An inquest into their deaths was opened on September 1 with senior coroner Andre Rebello telling the court "questions will have to be answered"^[15] with regard to the highways authority, the maintenance of the road, the "vigilance of inclement weather" and who had responsibility for the drainage in the area.

He added: "Inquiries will need to be made with regard to the history of this road and lessons learned from previous experience, particularly from residents of the area and that will all take some time. It would be premature of me to identify any other interested parties whose actions or inactions might have caused or contributed to this incident.

"It’s very important we allow police to get on with their inquiries. If it appears there are matters that need to go into the criminal jurisdiction, then so be it."

Merseyside Police^[16] are leading an investigation into the circumstances of the deaths of the couple and Mr Rebello described this as a "complex investigation". Adjourning the inquest until February 27 2024, Mr Rebello added: "We are led by evidence, rather than speculation, rumour or gossip and it is important that we leave the police to get on with their enquiries^[17]."

Get the latest news from Merseyside's courts by signing up to our newsletter^[18].

References

1. ^{^} Elaine and Philip Marco (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Mossley Hill (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Queens Drive area, after decades of dangerous flooding incidents. (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Once promising footballer arrested at airport after being unmasked as Encro dealer 'SoundDill' (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
5. ^{^} Dad 'felt he would die' after gang attack as he went to get back wheelie bin (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Liverpool City Council (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
7. ^{^} the end of last week (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
8. ^{^} council spokesperson (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
9. ^{^} the ECHO (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
10. ^{^} leader of the council (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
11. ^{^} Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
12. ^{^} the ECHO (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
13. ^{^} Network Rail (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
14. ^{^} most loving, generous and kind-hearted parents and grandparents (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
15. ^{^} "questions will have to be answered" (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
16. ^{^} Merseyside Police (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
17. ^{^} important that we leave the police to get on with their enquiries (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
18. ^{^} newsletter (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)