The water regulator for England and Wales has launched a formal investigation into South East Water following a series of disruptive supply failures that have left tens of thousands of customers without running water.
Regulator Scrutinises Customer Service Failures
Ofwat confirmed on Thursday 15 January 2026 that it has initiated a probe to determine whether the utility company breached its statutory obligations. The investigation will focus specifically on whether South East Water complied with its customer service standards and provided adequate support to affected households and businesses during the outages.
Lynn Parker, Ofwat's senior director for enforcement, stated the regulator's position clearly. "The last six weeks have been miserable for businesses and households across Kent and Sussex with repeated supply problems," she said. "We know that this has had a huge impact on all parts of daily life and hurt businesses, particularly in the run-up to the festive period."
Six-Day Crisis Blamed on Storm Damage
The immediate trigger for the regulatory action is an ongoing incident that has seen thousands of properties in Kent and Sussex deprived of drinking water for six consecutive days. South East Water has attributed this latest outage to Storm Goretti, which caused significant damage through burst pipes and localised power cuts.
This crisis is not an isolated event. It follows a major sustained outage in Tunbridge Wells during November and December last year. On that occasion, approximately 24,000 properties in and around the Kent town were left without drinkable water for nearly two weeks, causing severe disruption.
Investigation to Determine Licence Breach
The core of Ofwat's investigation will be to establish if these repeated service failures constitute a breach of the company's licence conditions. Ms Parker emphasised the necessity of the probe, saying, "That is why we need to investigate and to determine whether the company has breached its licence condition."
The repeated water supply outages across Kent and Sussex have highlighted significant concerns about the resilience of local infrastructure and the company's contingency planning. Customers have faced considerable hardship, with businesses reporting lost revenue and households struggling for basic sanitation and drinking water.
The outcome of the Ofwat investigation could lead to enforcement action, including potential financial penalties for South East Water if serious failings are identified. The regulator has powers to impose fines and mandate improvements to operational performance.
