Hampshire Water Outage Leaves Thousands Struggling as Bills Set to Surge

Southern Water customers face prolonged supply disruptions and a 53% bill increase, the highest in England and Wales.

A technical issue at the Testwood water supply works caused widespread water outages affecting 58,000 homes in Southampton, Romsey, Eastleigh, Totton, and the New Forest.
Residents endured long queues of up to two hours at bottled water distribution centers, with some walking miles due to traffic congestion.
Southern Water has restored water to 25,000 homes and aims to reconnect all affected households by Friday morning, though the process is gradual to ensure safety.
The disruption coincides with Ofwat's announcement of a 53% increase in Southern Water bills over the next five years, significantly higher than the national average of 36%.
The Environment Secretary has pledged increased compensation for supply issues and announced a review of the water sector to address infrastructure and regulatory shortcomings.