Gatwick Airport left without running water at both terminals

Gatwick Airport left without running water at both terminals

Passengers traveling through Gatwick Airport experienced significant inconvenience on Sunday due to a major disruption in the water supply. Both terminals at the UK’s second largest airport suddenly lost access to running water following a power failure at a nearby treatment facility. This outage resulted in long queues outside restrooms and the closure of all bars and restaurants, leaving many travelers without seating or basic amenities.

The root of the problem was a power cut at the Bough Beech water treatment works, which supplies water not only to Gatwick but also to parts of Kent, Surrey, and south London. SES Water, the company responsible for providing the water, reported that although power had been restored, the water still needed to be treated before being safely returned to customers. This meant that the airport faced continued difficulties throughout the day, despite efforts to manage the situation.

Gatwick Airport issued multiple updates, apologizing for the ongoing disruption and explaining that water was not available in either terminal. Staff were deployed to assist passengers, and some restaurant operators attempted to offer additional seating where possible. The airport emphasized its close collaboration with SES Water to expedite the restoration of normal services. Despite this, some facilities, especially those requiring clean water for operations, remained closed for safety reasons.

Firsthand accounts from travelers highlighted the impact of the outage. BBC reporter Adam Dowling, who was arriving from Valencia, noted that flight schedules were being adjusted to reduce the number of incoming planes. Meanwhile, Roger Wood from Tunbridge Wells described his shock upon discovering that no restaurants or bars were open in the south terminal. Wood explained, “Normally Wetherspoon is absolutely packed but there were staff on every door turning people away, including people asking for some hot food.” He added that only packaged food outlets and shops remained open, and although restrooms were accessible, there was no way to wash hands, causing conditions to deteriorate over time

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