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Around 24,000 homes in Kent and East Sussex are once again facing water supply difficulties, with South East Water (SEW) warning that full restoration of services is not expected before midday on Thursday. The company announced that ongoing water quality problems have caused a return of supply interruptions after a five-day period of instability, prompting officials to advise residents to boil tap water before consumption.
The impact has been widespread, leading to school closures and forcing many residents to rely on neighbors for water. One notable disruption is the closure of the water station located at RCP Parking’s site on Major York’s Road near The Pantiles, which will remain shut on Thursday due to an event at Spa Valley Railway. Meanwhile, bottled water distribution points at Knights Way, Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre, and a grab bag station at the B&M store are scheduled to reopen Thursday morning to help those affected.
The crisis has attracted significant political attention. At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer described the situation as “shocking,” highlighting the government’s concerns about SEW’s repeated failure to restore safe drinking water promptly. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has declared a “major incident” in response to the ongoing supply issues. Replying to a call from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey for an emergency meeting, Starmer emphasized the seriousness of the problem, stating, “There’s really serious consequences and we are bearing down on that as he would expect because it’s such a serious issue.”
Local businesses are also suffering considerable losses. Birkan Koca, who owns the Eggs Eleven café in the Pantiles, criticized SEW’s handling of the situation as “shambolic,” warning that if water services are not restored by the weekend, his losses could reach £15,000. Grace Power, a pregnant resident with two young children, shared her concerns about water quality after being told initially that tap water was safe post-restoration, only to receive updated advice that it should be boiled. Similarly, Eden Hedges from St Kilda Café expressed frustration over the lack of clear information, particularly about whether his coffee machines’ filtration systems could safely produce drinks under the boil water advisory.
South East Water explained that the delay in fully restoring supply is due to a cautious, gradual refilling of the Tunbridge Wells pipeline network to prevent further issues such as burst pipes. Dr. Neil Hudson, SEW’s head of water quality, confirmed that after restarting the network, the original water quality problems reappeared, attributed to a contaminated chemical batch. As a result, the Pembury treatment works remain unable to deliver drinking water meeting strict safety standards, and residents have been urged to use supplied water solely for flushing toilets or showering unless it is boiled first. The problems, which began on Saturday, have affected areas including Tunbridge Wells, Pembury, Frant, and Eridge. Government water minister Emma Hardy has promised a full investigation into the incident
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