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South East Water is currently under scrutiny as thousands of residents in Kent and Sussex continue to endure significant disruptions to their water supply. The initial problems began on Saturday and were attributed by the water company to the impact of Storm Goretti alongside a power failure at one of its pumping stations. Despite ongoing efforts to restore service, approximately 17,000 homes were still without water or experiencing irregular supply as of Wednesday. The company has issued multiple apologies and emphasized its commitment to resolving the issue promptly.
In response to the crisis, the government announced it would request the water regulator Ofwat to conduct a formal review of South East Water’s licence. While Ofwat has the power to revoke a company’s licence, the conditions required to do so are notably stringent. The regulator stated, “We will review all of the evidence before taking a decision on what further action may be required.” It is also important to note that the government must provide a minimum of 25 years’ notice before terminating a water company’s licence. South East Water assured that it will fully cooperate with any investigations and supply all necessary information.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addressed the situation on Wednesday, calling it “clearly totally unacceptable” and highlighted that ministers have been holding daily emergency meetings to “hold the company to account.” He stressed the urgent need for infrastructure investment by the company. At that time, seven interruptions remained across the network affecting locations such as Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead, Ash, Harrietsham, and Lenham. Meanwhile, several schools have closed since Monday due to these water shortages, with one headteacher in Kingwood reporting on BBC Radio Kent that the school had to allocate budget funds to purchasing bottled water.
Local businesses have also suffered extensively from the ongoing difficulties. The Abergavenny Arms pub in Frant expressed concern over potential bankruptcy if the issues persist, with a spokesperson stating, “It’s killing us small businesses.” Similarly, Ekrem Agveve, manager of Twenty Nine restaurant in East Grinstead, shared with BBC Radio Sussex that the business had lost around £6,000 to £7,000 and would require at least three months to recover after being forced to close on what are typically their busiest weekend days. Customers and families are feeling the strain, with one resident from Tunbridge Wells, Isha Chadha, explaining the disruption to her daily life and children’s activities due to limited water availability, describing the situation as “so stressful and so frustrating.”
An investigation by the Drinking Water Inspectorate has been launched into South East Water’s handling of the crisis, which the company partly attributes to cold weather causing leaks and bursts that depleted water storage reserves. South East Water is already facing two other investigations. There have been calls from multiple MPs and local officials for the resignation or removal of South East Water’s CEO, David Hinton. Linden Kemkaren, leader of Kent County Council, criticized the leadership, citing “systematic and repeated” failures and declared, “I am afraid that heads must roll.” Hinton, who receives a base salary of £400,000 plus a £115,000 bonus in 2025, remains committed to addressing the immediate problems while seeking further investment for long-term improvements.
To assist affected customers, six bottled water stations were established across East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells, and South East Water reported making 25,000 deliveries to those on its Priority Services Register. However, some vulnerable customers, including a man recovering from a spinal injury, reported not receiving any water despite being on the priority list. The situation continues to develop as the company works to restore service and address growing criticism
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