Thousands continue to face water supply problems on the sixth day

Thousands of residents across Kent and East Sussex are now experiencing the sixth day of water interruptions. South East Water (SEW) has issued an apology to around 24,000 households in areas including Tunbridge Wells, Pembury, Frant, and Eridge that have faced either a complete loss of water or reduced water pressure since Saturday.

Water supply has gradually resumed, but SEW has warned that in ten specific postcode areas, water must be boiled before it is used for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, or washing dishes.

In the companys latest statement, a spokesperson remarked, "This is not the service our customers expect, and we are working tirelessly to restore normal water supply."

For properties still without water, SEW has indicated that services should return by midday Thursday. However, these locations will remain under a boil-water advisory for at least 10 days. The affected postcodes are TN1 1, TN1 2, TN11 0, TN2 3, TN2 4, TN2 5, TN3 9, TN4 0, TN4 8, and TN4 9. Another update from the company is expected around midday.

Bottled water distribution points at Knights Way and Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre, along with a grab bag station at the B&M store, will reopen Thursday morning. The station on Major Yorks Road will remain closed due to an event at the Spa Valley Railway.

Local businesses continue to face challenges. Alex Gregg, owner of Fuggles Beer Caf, told BBC Radio Kent that confusion persists: "We still receive conflicting updates from South East Water. When I left yesterday evening, there was no running water. Some areas seem to have water restored, but overnight there was still none." Another local business, Eggs Eleven, reported being unable to serve customers due to the ongoing issues.

Water Minister Emma Hardy described the situation as "unacceptable," assuring that SEW is being pressured to restore supply quickly. She added that compensation for affected customers has been significantly increased, in some cases up to ten times the normal amount, to offset the disruption.

SEW CEO David Hinton has stated that the companys main priority is to fully restore water services as soon as possible.

Author: Ava Mitchell