'I feel your pain' – but water boss will not quit

A water company boss says he wants to remain in his post, following calls for his resignation after supply issues caused misery across Kent and East Sussex.

Up to 24,000 properties in Tunbridge Wells, Pembury, Frant and Eridge experienced disruption from 29 November to 4 December after an issue at a South East Water (SEW) treatment works.

Schools were closed, businesses saw their profits hit and SEW issued an alert for residents to boil tap water as it was not up to its "usual high quality".

When asked by the BBC if he should step down, SEW Chief Executive Officer David Hinton said he "absolutely empathises" with affected customers.

Speaking for the first time since the outages, he added: "But what the customers deserve is someone who understands the issue [and] feels the pain they're going through.

"I've been through these issues with customers. I know what the solution is.

"Someone who's got that background and that passion is what the customers need in terms of delivering that solution."

Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin has repeatedly called on Mr Hinton to resign after heavily criticising his leadership and labelling it a "total failure".

He claimed the water firm boss earns half a million pounds a year.

Mr Hinton was asked multiple times by the BBC to comment during the crisis, but declined.

Mr Hinton also told the BBC on Thursday that discussions had begun on how to provide compensation for businesses - many of which were severely impacted during one of the busiest times of the year.

Mr Martin had also called for a "Covid-style compensation" package for businesses worth £18.5m.

He said he was told of hotels losing £30,000 and a cafe chain losing up to £50,000.

Mr Hinton warned that for some businesses the amount on offer could be "small in comparison to the potential losses", though others may get more.

"We're trying to make sure the package is fair," he told the BBC.

SEW water customers have faced supply disruption before.

Over the Christmas period in 2022, thousands of properties in parts of the South East were without water for days.

The firm supplies about 2.3 million customers in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.

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