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Thousands of residents in Kent are facing severe disruption to their water supply amid soaring temperatures, leading to widespread frustration. Greg Lawrence, a resident of Whitstable waiting in line at a bottled water distribution point in Herne Bay, described the situation as “very frustrating,” especially given the hot weather conditions. The ongoing water shortages have left many unable to perform daily tasks like flushing toilets or doing laundry, adding to the hardship.
Steve Benton, incident manager for South East Water (SEW), explained that the supply problems stem from an overwhelming demand due to the heat. He reported that on Thursday, 8,000 customers in Whitstable were left without water as the area’s storage reservoirs had reached “a critical level.” Moreover, Benton noted that approximately 7,000 customers throughout Tankerton, Ashford, Ulcombe, Cranbrook, Coxheath and Headcorn were experiencing either low water pressure or intermittent supply. An additional 7,000 customers were identified as being at risk of losing supply altogether.
The difficulties are affecting local businesses as well. Jeff Higgins, who runs the Wooden Spoon jam-making company in Wye, revealed that they have been unable to produce jam since Monday because their steam-based cooking and water-dependent pasteurisation processes cannot function without reliable water. Higgins highlighted the impact on both the business’s finances and operational frustrations, emphasizing that the infrastructure seemingly cannot cope with increased demand: “It has been extremely hot for a few days, and it seems to be the pumping stations that are breaking down [due to the extra demand]. The infrastructure does really need fixing.”
Among those affected are vulnerable individuals. Lee Ferris, a priority customer from Herne Bay who has diabetes, shared the challenges he faces with no water deliveries and having to endure days without water. He criticized SEW for not being “more prepared,” especially with warnings of extreme heat. Meanwhile, Lucy from Herne Bay, who queued for bottled water, explained how the shortage has impacted her ability to care for her many animals, stating, “We can’t shower or fill up saucepans or the kettle. I have lots of animals, and I need to be able to give them fresh water every day.” Local MP Sir Roger Gale called the ongoing disruptions “unacceptable,” pointing to long-standing issues with underinvestment in water infrastructure and expressing urgent calls for immediate solutions. According to SEW, they are working hard to replenish water storage reservoirs, but intermittent supplies may continue until levels are restored
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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