Water Supply Issues Persist in Kent for Second Day
Residents in Kent express frustration over ongoing water supply disruptions, with South East Water facing significant criticism.
By BBC News
Residents in Kent are facing ongoing water supply issues for a second consecutive day, with some describing South East Water as "incompetently useless". The disruptions have left many homes without running water, impacting essential needs.
As of the latest reports, approximately 4,058 homes throughout Kent are experiencing low pressure or sporadic supply. South East Water has attributed these outages to extremely high demand following warm weather, although the company has not provided a specific timeline for when full service will be restored.
Steve Benton, Incident Manager at South East Water, stated that the water treatment works are now stable, but low storage levels and high demand mean that some areas, particularly those on higher ground, cannot receive water until tanks are replenished. Benton added that the company is continuing to deliver bottled water to customers registered for priority services.
Two bottled water collection stations have been reopened in Tunbridge Wells at Tesco Superstore and Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club, remaining open until 20:00 BST. However, the rugby club station was temporarily closed for restocking.
The situation has drawn criticism from residents who report inadequate communication from South East Water during this crisis. One resident, Lance Miles, expressed his frustration, stating, "Yet again we are without water. We're not customers, because customers have a choice. If there was another company, at the drop of a hat I would go with that company."
This incident follows a series of supply failures in recent months, leading to scrutiny of South East Water's operations. Earlier this week, the company was ordered to invest £30.5 million in improvements after investigations by industry watchdog Ofwat. The company has also warned that it needs to secure fresh financing to remain operational after suffering significant financial losses due to outages.
Residents are advised to limit their water usage to essential needs only as the situation develops. For non-emergencies, customers can contact South East Water at 0333 000 0002 during business hours, while emergency support is available 24/7 at 0333 000 0365.