Water restored for most after week of disruption

Water has been restored for most affected properties after almost a week of supply problems across Kent and Sussex, South East Water (SEW) has said.

Some 30,000 properties had no water at the height of the issues, which were believed to have started on Saturday and prompted an investigation into SEW by regulator Ofwat.

SEW said water had been restored to 6,500 properties in Tunbridge Wells that were affected on Thursday evening, although some residents said they were still without supplies.

The company's incident manager, Matthew Dean, said tankers were continuing to pump water into the network in the Bidenborough area to keep supplies flowing to 320 properties which had low water levels.

Dean said some customers in the Tunbridge Wells area could have low pressure as the water levels continued to build.

"Continuous supplies have been restored to the town after we implemented our recovery plan which involved keeping local booster pumps switched off for 36 hours so our drinking water storage tank could fill," he said.

He said supplies had also returned to 16,500 properties in East Grinstead in West Sussex and to about 2,000 properties in the Loose and Coxheath areas, although storage levels in the area remained "very low".

"We are very sorry to every single one of our customers who have been affected," the incident manager said.

"We know and understand how difficult going without water for such a long period of time is, and how difficult it makes everyday life."

Despite water returning for most customers in Tunbridge wells, bottled water stations remain open at the Odeon Cinema in Knights Way and the RCP car park off Major York's Road.

Bottled water was also available to collect at SEW's walk-in site at Bidborough village hall.

Bottled water had been delivered to customers on the company's priority services register, which includes those with young children, medical conditions or disabilities, SEW said.

Stephen Bales, who lives in Tunbridge Wells, said he was still without water on Friday morning "despite assurances from SEW".

"The tap is bone dry," he said.

"All trust has gone in the water company, for too long profits have not been reinvested and now we have the consequences."

Tunbridge Wells resident Mary-Ann Stocks, who is also without water, said: "It's disgusting not being able to wash properly for a week."

Alan Jones, chair of a local residents committee at Redcliffe Place in Tunbridge Wells, said water was only "dripping out" of his taps.

"We had a little water in the early hours but then everyone wants to use it and it's lost again," he said.

SEW said some areas could still be experiencing airlocks.

Affected customers are being asked to contact the company, which said it would arrange for technicians to investigate "as a matter of urgency".

SEW added that there could be "harmless" discolouration to water as it returned.

Those with discoloured water are advised to run their taps until supplies run clear.

Pantelis Mikellides, who lives in Hawkenbury near Tunbridge Wells, said his water returned just after midnight.

"I don't have much confidence it will stay on," he said.

"It's happened twice already, we have full pressure and then it just goes, with the communication coming afterwards."

Mikellides said: "You always have to be prepared."

"My baby son has been having the poshest baths - six bottles of mineral water and two kettles," he said.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the ongoing situation "totally unacceptable" and the government later asked Ofwat to review the company's licence.

SEW said it would "always fully co-operate with any investigation by regulators and provide any information required".

Ofwat said if it was satisfied a licence condition had been breached, it would take enforcement action to secure compliance, which could include fining SEW up to 10% of its turnover.

SEW is already subjected to two separate investigations by Ofwat and the Drinking Water Inspectorate over earlier supply disruptions.

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