The water regulator has expressed serious concern as 25,000 properties across Kent and Sussex remain without a reliable water supply, a full day after authorities declared a major incident in the two counties.
This latest crisis, which has left many residents facing a fourth consecutive day of disruption, is being attributed to the severe impact of Storm Goretti. The storm caused widespread power cuts and a surge in burst pipes, critically hampering water treatment and distribution.
Restoration Efforts and Ongoing Disruption
South East Water (SEW) reported on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, that it had managed to restore supplies to some areas, including Loose in Maidstone, Blean near Canterbury, Headcorn, West Kingsdown, and parts of Tunbridge Wells.
The company also stated that drinking water for a further 16,500 properties in East Grinstead was expected to return by Tuesday afternoon. However, significant challenges persist across a broad region.
The affected areas include:
- Maidstone and surrounding areas
- Sevenoaks
- Tunbridge Wells
- Canterbury and Whitstable
- West Sussex and surrounding areas
Regulatory Scrutiny and Community Impact
Ofwat, the water services regulation authority, confirmed it is closely monitoring the situation. A spokesperson said the regulator is "concerned that residents in Kent and Sussex are without water again" and is working with the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
Critically, Ofwat revealed it already has an active investigation into South East Water regarding its supply resilience and will review all evidence from this incident to determine if the company breached its legal obligations on customer care.
The disruption has forced several schools in Kent and Sussex to close and follows a similar incident last month where 24,000 properties in Tunbridge Wells spent days without running water.
Linden Kemkaran, leader of Kent County Council, declared the major incident on Monday morning, noting the number of affected households had increased in the preceding 24 hours.
Company Response and Support Measures
SEW Incident Manager Matthew Dean apologised to customers, explaining that Storm Goretti affected the treatment of raw water at its main Sussex works. This, combined with numerous burst mains, has severely depleted drinking water storage levels.
The company stated it is deploying 26 tankers to pump water directly into the network and has leak repair teams working around the clock. Over the weekend, SEW carried out 5,700 deliveries of bottled water to vulnerable customers on its Priority Services Register.
Bottled water stations remain operational in Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead, and Maidstone, with hospitals and care homes also receiving direct support.
