Thousands of Homes in Kent Still Without Water After Treatment Plant Failure

Thousands of households across Kent remain without running water after a temporary equipment failure forced a shutdown at a South East Water treatment plant in Tunbridge Wells.

According to South East Water (SEW), up to 7,000 properties are experiencing low water pressure, no water, or intermittent supply following the disruption.

The company said the problem was caused by a temporary instrument failure at its Tunbridge Wells water treatment works. Although the facility is now operating normally, water storage levels remain low, making it difficult to restore supplies, particularly to homes located on higher ground.

SEW said it is delivering water to priority customers and has opened bottled water collection points at Tesco on Pembury Road and Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club at St Marks Recreation Ground.

In a statement, the company apologised to affected customers, explaining that water tanks need time to refill before a stable and continuous supply can be restored.

Earlier, South East Water warned that supplies were unlikely to return before Sunday evening.

Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin said efforts were focused on refilling the Blackhurst Reservoir, with water expected to be restored later in the day, urging residents to plan ahead.

The disruption follows several recent supply problems for South East Water customers. In late May, homes and businesses across Kent experienced similar outages, while last winter more than 77,000 customers across Kent and Sussex suffered interruptions due to leaks, burst pipes and storm-related power cuts.

The company, which serves around 2.3 million customers across south-east England, is also facing a £30.5 million redress package after the industry regulator Ofwat found multiple customer service failures. The regulator said the compensation should be funded by the company and its shareholders, rather than passed on to customers through higher bills.