RESIDENTS left without running water for more than 48 hours over a scorching summer weekend is a “totally unacceptable” occurrence, a council leader has said.

Brighton and Hove City Council leader Warren Morgan has apologised to residents in Jasmine Court who were left without running water over the weekend.

Residents were furious that they were given just eight litres of water per household.

Mears staff told the 25 households at the block in Donald Hall Road, Brighton, at just after noon on Saturday that water would be off until Monday.

Residents received delivery of 100 litres of water on Saturday and Sunday after they were told that a major leak had occurred on the top floor of the block which required major pipe work.

Water supplies were eventually restored to homes by around 3.30pm on Monday.

Resident David Green said the treatment they received over the weekend did not match the £827 a year they pay in service charges.

He said: “The temperature in these blocks is unbelievable because of the new cladding to the building which traps heat on and causes the buildings to be unbearably hot.

“We couldn't flush toilets, clean, cook or wash up, so we had health risks in abundance.

“We are only two middle aged guys who despite taking the obvious precautions were not coping on four litres of bottled water so how on earth are families with children in the block supposed to manage?”

Council leader and ward councillor Warren Morgan offered his "sincere apologies" to the residents of Jasmine Court who he said he was in "regular touch with" on Sunday.

He said: “It is totally unacceptable that residents were left without the means to wash or to flush their toilets all weekend.

“I’ve asked for a thorough investigation into what happened and why, and to seek assurances that it will not happen again.”

James Cryer, partnering manager at Mears, said the firm acted quickly to prevent water damage to residents' properties but had to keep the water supply turned off until a specialist commercial contractor could fix the leak.

He added: "Mears apologise for any inconvenience caused to the residents of Jasmine Court.

"While this type of leak is extremely rare we have reviewed our contingency plans and have acquired stand pipes so that we never leave anyone without free access to water?."