UPDATE: A severe water crisis continues to grip Tunbridge Wells, with 6,500 customers still lacking water over a week after supply issues began. Residents have resorted to creative survival methods as they await restoration, which South East Water (SEW) officials have confirmed will not occur until at least Friday morning.
The situation escalated on January 6, 2025, when supplies became intermittent, ultimately ceasing altogether. SEW has acknowledged the disruption, deploying 26 tankers to deliver water directly into its network while repairing leaks. However, the company warns that full service recovery will take time, as the local storage tank levels remain critically low.
In response to this dire situation, local father Mark Pattison has built a DIY water collection system in his garden. “When you’re a family of four and can’t flush the toilet, that’s a pretty horrible position to be in,” Pattison expressed. He collected 80 litres of rainwater to help his family manage basic needs. “Now, I fill up bottles provided by SEW for the bathroom. It’s just one less thing to worry about,” he added, highlighting the emotional toll this crisis has taken on families.
Mum-of-four Sarah Moore, also affected, shared her struggles with the ongoing outages. She has resorted to using a carrier bag in her toilets, instructing her daughters to “pretend they’re on holiday.” “It’s been really tricky,” Moore stated, emphasizing the stress of unpredictable water supply, which goes on and off at inconvenient times.
SEW’s incident manager Matthew Dean reported that water supply has been restored to 11,500 properties across East Grinstead and others. However, he confirmed that the remaining customers in Tunbridge Wells will continue facing interruptions. “We are very sorry to all our customers,” Dean said. “Going without water for such a long period makes everyday life incredibly difficult.”
In a critical update, SEW revealed it would have to keep booster pumps off for 36 hours to allow the storage tank to refill adequately. Customers are advised to prepare for further supply challenges until Friday morning.
Bottled water stations have been established at several local venues, including Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club and Mote Park Leisure Centre. Residents are urged to utilize these resources while SEW works to restore full service.
The broader context reveals that this is not the first disruption for Tunbridge Wells residents. Last month, a similar outage affected 24,000 households due to chemical issues at Pembury Treatment Works. The recurring nature of these supply problems has left many families anxious and frustrated.
As the situation develops, authorities continue to advise residents to conserve water and stay informed about supply status updates. Local officials remain committed to resolving the ongoing crisis, but residents are left grappling with the immediate impacts on their daily lives.
Stay tuned for more updates as SEW works tirelessly to restore water supply to affected areas.
