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7h ago

South East Water Restores Most Supplies After Weeklong Kent and Sussex Outage

Ofwat has opened investigations into the utility’s handling of repeated service failures that left tens of thousands without water.

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TUNBRIDGE WELLS, ENGLAND - JANUARY 13: Bottled water is carried to a car at an emergency water distribution point on January 13, 2026 in Tunbridge Wells, England. Kent County Council has declared a major incident as an estimated 30,000 properties across Kent and Sussex have been impacted by water supply issues over recent days, forcing schools and businesses to close. South East Water (SEW) has said Storm Goretti affected the water company's ability to treat raw water, coupled with burst water mains attributed to freezing and thawing conditions. This latest set of issues comes only weeks after a six-day supply failure affected 24,000 properties in Tunbridge Wells, leading several MPs to call for the resignation of SEW boss David Hinton. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Supplies are largely back across Kent and Sussex, with 6,500 Tunbridge Wells properties restored after a 36-hour booster shutdown to refill storage.
  • About 320 homes in Bidborough still face low pressure as tankers support the network and bottled water sites remain open as a precaution.
  • The disruption peaked at roughly 30,000 customers after Storm Goretti caused burst pipes and power cuts, according to South East Water.
  • Ofwat’s probes cover customer service and maintenance of supply, with potential penalties including fines up to 10% of turnover and possible licence action.
  • Public anger has intensified, with school closures, curtailed businesses, and some residents cancelling direct debits and seeking compensation.