Council only fixed my leak after I listed it as a waterfall on Google

A leak that enraged residents by constantly dripping onto bins for six months has finally been fixed – after it was listed as a ‘waterfall’ on Google Maps.

Ilona Papava grew so frustrated that no one came to fix the pesky drip in Camden’s Lissenden Gardens estate, north London, that she jokingly added it as a ‘historical landmark’ on Google Maps.

But just a short while after being listed as a local attraction, Camden Council finally fixed the leak – thought to come from an overflowing water tank.

Mrs Papava, 29, said: ‘It had been dripping for at least half a year. Water was constantly dripping into a neighbour’s house.

‘It didn’t really affect me directly but I saw it every day when I went to walk my dogs at Hampstead Heath.

‘It was from the roof, coming from the water tank. It was overflowing and the water was coming through the roof.’

On what made her list the leak as a local landmark Mrs Papava added: ‘I was just bored and annoyed. I was thinking about how furious I would be if it was facing my flat.

‘My partner and I started joking that it was a waterfall. Eventually, neighbours left reviews and it became this Google Maps joke.

‘We all had a laugh writing the reviews and I am very happy it has finally been resolved.

‘But it did take half a year, and it probably wasn’t that hard to fix in the first place.

‘Some residents had reached out before but nothing happened.

‘You could hear it every time you walked past it. It was dripping onto the bins so you would’ve got wet if you took your bins out there.’

One five-star review of the ‘waterfall’ on Google Maps read: ‘Just back from Iceland, and believe it or not, none of its waterfalls hold a candle to this one.

‘There’s something otherworldly about urban water cascading through the streets of Lissenden. Truly magical. Highly recommend.’

Another review pokes fun of the Council’s failure to fix it for so long, saying: ‘The Great Urban Waterfall – a true marvel of… questionable plumbing by Camden Council.

‘Standing proudly against the brick facade of what appears to be a perfectly ordinary apartment building, this historic downspout-gone-rogue offers visitors a raw, unfiltered glimpse into what happens when Camden Council says, ‘We’ll fix it next asap,’ and then never does.

‘Legend has it that the water has never stopped flowing, even in drought. Some say it’s blessed.

‘The audio tour (aka the constant drip-drip-splash soundtrack) is complimentary, and the mist really gives your glasses that steamy, rainforest vibe – without the rainforest, or the vibe.

‘I enjoy it every single day on my walk to the park. There’s something oddly comforting about seeing the same heroic little leak persevering, against all odds, in this chaotic world.

‘It’s my own personal Niagara, if Niagara were slightly mouldy and located next to a wheely bin

‘It’s probably been leaking since the horrible Boris administration. That’s legacy.’

Camden Council confirmed the leak, identified in pipework, has now been fixed.

A spokesman said: ‘We apologise to residents for the issues they have been experiencing.

‘We have now fixed this issue and stopped the leak.’