Residents have spoken of their fears after water began gushing from a high-voltage broadband cabinet near a housing estate.
The water was seen coming from the box at the junction of the B6282 Woodhouse Lane and the entrance to Rush Park housing estate, in Bishop Auckland three weeks ago.
Kenneth Porter said: "It has been reported several times by numerous people to the Northumbrian Water, but they but said it is not their responsibility and have passed it onto the council.
"We contacted Durham County Council yesterday (August 11) and told them it was urgent due to the high voltage electricity.
"Also, the path is now very dangerous and slippy. When I was taking the photos today one man actually did nearly slip and fall."
Mr Porter said the council had emailed him saying the matter had been referred to the gully maintenance team for their attention and a member of the operational team will visit the site in line with their routine maintenance programme.
But he added: "This needs urgent attention."
A spokesperson from Northumbrian Water said: “We have investigated a reported leak near Rush Park on Woodhouse Lane in Bishop Auckland.
“Our tests show that the leak is coming from a private underground drain and is not from our network. This has been passed over to the relevant local authority so that it can be resolved.”
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After the Northern Echo contacted the council, Paul Watson, the authority's strategic highways manager, said: “We are sending an emergency response team to the site, and will be fencing off the area to prevent access as a precautionary measure.
"We are also making inquiries with other agencies, to establish the cause of the leak and so that appropriate steps can be taken.”
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