"Tunbridge Wells residents are once again facing a water crisis as South East Water attributes the disruption to the cold weather. The company blames a "series of burst water mains" on the unseasonable temperatures, which have caused widespread disruptions. A staggering 6,500 households in the area are now without water altogether, while thousands more are struggling with intermittent supplies.
Residents are growing increasingly frustrated with South East Water's response to the crisis, which has left many homes without access to basic necessities for an extended period. The company claims to be doing everything it can to restore supplies as quickly as possible, including setting up water bottle stations and delivering water to priority customers.
However, local MP Mike Martin is warning that the issue could persist for days, rather than being resolved overnight. He cites concerns over the number of leaks draining the reservoirs, which have left South East Water struggling to stabilize levels. "I don't have confidence that this will be tomorrow," he said, emphasizing that the problem could take several days to resolve.
This latest crisis comes on the heels of a major outage last November, which left 24,000 homes in the Tunbridge Wells area without drinking water for two weeks. The incident was attributed to problems at the aging Pembury water treatment works, which has been under enforcement since 2024.
Critics are once again pointing fingers at South East Water's investment priorities, arguing that profits have come before people in recent years. Alistair Carmichael, Liberal Democrat MP and chair of the environment committee, has written to the company's chairman demanding a response, citing concerns over corporate governance and accountability.
As the situation continues to unfold, residents are left waiting for answers from South East Water on how they will prevent such crises in the future."
Residents are growing increasingly frustrated with South East Water's response to the crisis, which has left many homes without access to basic necessities for an extended period. The company claims to be doing everything it can to restore supplies as quickly as possible, including setting up water bottle stations and delivering water to priority customers.
However, local MP Mike Martin is warning that the issue could persist for days, rather than being resolved overnight. He cites concerns over the number of leaks draining the reservoirs, which have left South East Water struggling to stabilize levels. "I don't have confidence that this will be tomorrow," he said, emphasizing that the problem could take several days to resolve.
This latest crisis comes on the heels of a major outage last November, which left 24,000 homes in the Tunbridge Wells area without drinking water for two weeks. The incident was attributed to problems at the aging Pembury water treatment works, which has been under enforcement since 2024.
Critics are once again pointing fingers at South East Water's investment priorities, arguing that profits have come before people in recent years. Alistair Carmichael, Liberal Democrat MP and chair of the environment committee, has written to the company's chairman demanding a response, citing concerns over corporate governance and accountability.
As the situation continues to unfold, residents are left waiting for answers from South East Water on how they will prevent such crises in the future."
Still, 6,500 households without water is a bloody nightmare. I mean, what's going on with our water infrastructure? It's like we're constantly playing catch-up.
I'm not buying the 'we're doing everything we can' narrative. It's clear they need to prioritize investments in our water supply, but profits seem to be taking a backseat.
The last major outage was two weeks ago and now another crisis is brewing... what's the pattern here?!
this is just so frustrating... can't believe it's happening again in Tunbridge Wells. 6,500 households without water? That's just ridiculous. I've been dealing with my own share of issues with the internet and TV provider and I know how annoying it can be when they're slow to sort things out.
. cant south east water just plan ahead for harsh winters like this? 
also, is it too much 2 ask 4 them 2 be more transparent about their investment priorities & corporate governance? 
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, 6k households without water? that's just not right! I feel so bad for those people struggling with intermittent supplies too. it's like south east water is taking a long time to get their act together 
. i'm glad they're setting up water bottle stations and delivering water to priority customers but when are we gonna see some real solutions here? 
. mike martin's warning that this might take days is not helping either 
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this is so frustrating for people who are already struggling without access to basic water supplies. 6k households without water is a huge number and it's not like south east water is doing enough to fix it fast. i mean, setting up water bottle stations sounds nice but what about the long term solution? they need to make some serious changes to their infrastructure and investment priorities ASAP 
and what's with all these complaints about corporate governance? it's not just about the money, guys! people need access to basic necessities like water