Why South East Water Is Facing Growing Pressure After 250,000 Homes Hit by Supply Crisis
South East Water (SEW) is under intense political and public scrutiny once again after thousands of homes across Kent and East Sussex were left without water. The worsening situation has prompted Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin to demand the resignation of the company’s chief executive, saying the crisis is “one in a long line of problems for which the company is responsible”.
Thousands Left Without Water Yet Again
Starting on Saturday, as many as 24,000 customers in Tunbridge Wells and Pembury in Kent, along with residents in Frant and Eridge in East Sussex, reported losing their water supply. For many, it has revived memories of a similar outage in July, when 3,000 Kent households endured six days without water.
SEW, which has repeatedly changed its estimates for when supplies would return, has issued apologies, but frustrations remain high.
A Pattern of Failures
This is far from an isolated episode. In January, a power cut forced one of SEW’s treatment works offline, cutting water to around 5,000 homes in Sevenoaks, Hildenborough, Bidborough and Tonbridge. It took nearly a week to get service restored to most homes.
In July 2023, communities including Crowborough, Wadhurst, Biddenden and Staplehurst faced shortages when summer demand spiked. Around the same time, water regulator Ofwat launched an investigation into SEW, accusing it of potential failures in supply reliability and later designating it the “worst performer for water supply interruptions” in England and Wales.
‘Bad Chemical Batch’ Blamed But Concerns Run Deeper
SEW is now blaming the latest disruption on a “bad chemical batch” affecting its Pembury Water Treatment Works. However, the site has a troubled history.
Last autumn, the Drinking Water Inspectorate warned the facility posed a “significant risk of supplying water”. SEW says it is still investigating what caused the sudden decline in water quality.
Three years ago, Tunbridge Wells residents endured similar chaos when freezing weather triggered burst pipes over Christmas.
Public Anger Grows as Responses Falter
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Mike Martin said residents were “utterly furious” about the company’s handling of the crisis. He also criticised SEW’s “poor communication”, a sentiment echoed by many households still collecting bottled water.
Tanya Sefton, SEW’s director of customer services, said the firm had “thanked” Martin for advising on where to locate bottled water stations, adding that “lessons are always learnt in any incident”.
Deadlines Missed, Questions Unanswered
Despite repeated updates promising fixes, around 14,000 households remained without running water on Tuesday night. SEW has not responded to BBC requests for an explanation as to why it repeatedly failed to meet its own restoration deadlines.
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Company Promises Investment In South East Water But Pressure Mounts
In a written statement, SEW said its business plan includes £2.1 billion of investment over the next five years aimed at reducing interruptions, upgrading infrastructure and improving customer services. That includes accelerating construction of Broad Oak Water, a new reservoir near Canterbury.
Political pressure continues to escalate, with Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey calling for the Army to intervene in the crisis response. For now, households across Kent and East Sussex wait for supplies to return, as questions over SEW’s management intensify.
