Water has finally been restored to the vast majority of homes across Kent and Sussex, bringing relief after nearly a week of severe disruption and hardship for thousands of residents.
Storm Goretti Blamed for Widespread Disruption
The prolonged outage, which began on Saturday 10 January 2026, was attributed by South East Water (SEW) to the severe impact of Storm Goretti. The utility company stated that the storm caused a significant number of burst pipes and related power cuts, crippling their network. At the peak of the incident, an estimated 30,000 customers across the two counties were left without any water or suffering from critically low pressure.
Company Under Fire as Regulator Steps In
The beleaguered water supplier has faced intense criticism from both the public and local MPs, not least because this crisis followed closely on the heels of a similar event just last month. In that prior incident, some 24,000 people in Tunbridge Wells were deprived of drinking water for a staggering two weeks.
On Friday 16 January, SEW's incident manager, Mathew Dean, confirmed that supplies had been restored to the 6,500 properties in the Tunbridge Wells area. He explained the recovery process: "Continuous supplies have been restored to the town after we implemented our recovery plan which involved keeping local booster pumps switched off for 36 hours so our drinking water storage tank could fill." He added a public apology, acknowledging the immense difficulty caused by the extended loss of a vital service.
The company's handling of the situation has now attracted formal scrutiny. On Thursday, the water regulator Ofwat announced it is launching an investigation into whether South East Water breached its licence conditions. The probe will examine potential failures in customer service standards and whether appropriate support was offered during the supply interruptions.
Potential Penalties and Ongoing Issues
The consequences for SEW could be severe. If Ofwat finds the supplier in breach and decides to revoke its licence, the company could be placed into a special administration regime. Alternatively, if a breach is confirmed but the licence is not revoked, the firm could face a financial penalty of up to 10% of its annual turnover.
Despite the wider restoration, problems persist for some. Approximately 320 properties in Bidborough are still experiencing low water levels, necessitating the continued use of tankers to assist the area. As a precaution, bottled water stations in Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, and Bidborough will remain open on Friday.
