Over 8,000 affected by water supply disruption

Thousands of households in Kent are facing significant water supply disruptions, with South East Water reporting that over 8,000 customers have been affected. The company anticipates it could take a couple of days to fully restore services after four days of ongoing issues.

The areas of Cranbrook and Benenden are experiencing the most severe impact. To support affected residents, bottled water stations are being reopened in Cranbrook, Canterbury, Challock, and Herne Bay. While most customers in Herne Bay are expected to have their supplies back soon, the situation remains critical elsewhere.

“

It's an ongoing challenge for us at the moment and we apologise sincerely to all affected customers.

South East Water cited a combination of factors for the prolonged disruption, including extended periods of hot weather, increased water demand, recent pipe bursts, and overnight power outages. The company's incident support manager, Mike Pickard, acknowledged the "unacceptable" situation, stating that staff are "exhausted and being pushed to limits" in their attempts to restore water across the county.

Pickard expressed sincere apologies to all affected customers, emphasizing the company's commitment to resolving the problem despite the ongoing challenges. The situation highlights the strain on water infrastructure during periods of extreme weather and high demand.

“

Our team is exhausted and being pushed to limits to make sure water is running.