Overview
- South East Water says water has been restored to almost all of the roughly 24,000 affected properties, with some high-ground areas still facing low pressure or intermittent supply.
- A boil-water notice remains in place for around 10 days, with officials advising residents to boil tap water for drinking, brushing teeth, and preparing uncooked food.
- The company attributes the failure to a bad batch of treatment chemicals at the Pembury plant and reports recurring water-quality issues after recharging the network.
- The Drinking Water Inspectorate has opened a live investigation that could lead to enforcement, which follows a 2024 notice warning of significant risk at the Pembury facility.
- Political and public pressure is growing, with calls for chief executive David Hinton to resign and local businesses reporting heavy losses, as SEW outlines compensation starting at £50 per 12 hours without supply and separate water-quality payments from £40.