Major Water Supply Disruption in Kent and Sussex Cuts Off Thousands
A significant water outage affecting 25,000 properties in Kent and Sussex continues to disrupt lives, stemming from incidents linked to Storm Goretti’s aftermath. This comes just a day after a major incident was officially declared in the region.
Extent of the Disruption
The latest reports indicate that the supply failure has persisted for up to four days for many residents, with the initial outages occurring overnight from Friday to Saturday last week. South East Water (SEW) announced that while some areas, including Loose in Maidstone and parts of Tunbridge Wells, saw their water supply restored on Tuesday, many locations remain severely affected.
- Areas significantly impacted include Maidstone, Sevenoaks, West Sussex, and surrounding regions.
- 16,500 properties in East Grinstead are expected to have water restored by Tuesday afternoon.
Response Measures by South East Water
In response to the ongoing crisis, SEW’s incident manager, Matthew Dean, expressed deep regret to those struggling with interruptions in their drinking water supply, which includes complete outages and reduced pressure. The company is actively deploying 26 tankers to enhance water levels in the affected regions and has mobilised repair teams to address leaks caused by burst mains.
Impact on Local Services
As the situation develops, several schools across Kent and Sussex have had to close due to water supply issues. This follows a troubling period where approximately 24,000 properties in Tunbridge Wells experienced multiple days without running water and almost two weeks without access to drinkable water last month.
Regulatory Oversight
Ofwat, the regulatory authority for water services, has voiced concerns regarding SEW’s customer care obligations in light of the repeated failures. They plan to review existing evidence to determine possible enforcement actions against the company, which is already under investigation for its supply resilience.
Bottled Water Distribution and Community Support
Over the weekend, SEW reported that it provided around 5,700 deliveries of bottled water to residents, with stations set up in Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead, and Maidstone for those in need. The company’s focus is also on ensuring that vulnerable populations, including those registered on their Priority Services Register, receive necessary support during this critical period.
Background
Storm Goretti caused significant damage across the UK, leading to widespread power cuts and water infrastructure failures, especially in the Sussex area. The current supply disruption is part of a broader pattern of service challenges faced by SEW, which has prompted the scrutiny of its operations and resilience strategies.
With disruptions persisting, both residents and local authorities are calling for swift actions to rectify the situation and prevent future incidents of this nature.
Source: Original Article
