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Kent Water Crisis: Thousands Still Without Water
4 Dec
Summary
- Up to 24,000 customers in Kent have faced water loss for six days.
- Affected areas require boiling water for consumption due to contamination fears.
- Water Minister deems the prolonged disruption 'unacceptable' and promises compensation.
Water supply disruptions in Kent and East Sussex have now persisted for six consecutive days, impacting thousands of households. South East Water has apologized to as many as 24,000 customers across several towns, including Tunbridge Wells, who have experienced a complete loss of water or severely low pressure since Saturday. While water is being restored, a critical boil notice is in effect for 10 postcode areas, mandating that water be boiled before use for drinking, brushing teeth, cooking, or washing dishes.
The company anticipates full restoration by midday on Thursday, but the boil notice will remain active for a minimum of 10 days. This prolonged inconvenience has led to the reopening of bottled water and grab bag stations to support affected residents. Businesses have reported significant operational challenges, with some unable to serve customers.
Water Minister Emma Hardy has publicly stated that the ongoing disruption is unacceptable and is pressing South East Water to expedite supply restoration and provide appropriate compensation. She highlighted that compensation payments have been increased up to tenfold to adequately reimburse customers for such significant supply failures. The water company's priority remains restoring service to all affected properties.
