Major Water Disruption Grips Kent Town
More than 24,000 residents in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, have been left without running water or experiencing low pressure after a critical failure at a water treatment plant. The crisis began when South East Water was forced to shut down its Pembury Water Treatment Works, causing local drinking water storage tanks to run dangerously low.
Chaos at Water Distribution Points
The utility company established bottled water stations to help affected residents, but these quickly descended into chaos. A station at Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre exhausted its supplies this morning as concerned locals rushed to secure water. The centre had to temporarily close to replenish stocks.
Another distribution point set up at Sovereign Way has since closed due to a scheduled winter festival in the town, with authorities currently seeking a replacement location.
Frustrated residents reported waiting for hours at distribution centres. One Facebook user described how their son waited two hours at the Tonbridge station, noting that lorries full of bottled water were present but couldn't be unloaded without a South East Water representative present.
Businesses Forced to Close
Local businesses have suffered significant financial losses as they were compelled to close over the weekend due to the water outage. Indian takeaway Spice Fusion announced it would remain closed, stating the water interruption made it "impossible for us to operate safely and maintain our hygiene standards."
Teresa Barrett, landlady of the Black Horse pub, revealed her establishment had been without water since midnight and she had no choice but to close. She expressed concern about the financial impact, noting she "couldn't afford" to be closed in the current trading environment and that hospitality businesses were losing an "extreme amount of money."
Vulnerable Residents Receive Support
South East Water confirmed that approximately 1,700 priority customers who are unable to collect water in person will have bottles delivered directly to their homes. The company maintains a Priority Services Register for vulnerable residents.
Mother-of-two Nicola Hodgson from nearby Pantilles explained her family's situation: "We have two young children, aged five and seven, so they have decamped to their grandmothers for the moment, so we can get them something to drink and have working toilets."
Restoration Timeline
South East Water estimates that full water supply won't be restored until at least 6am on Sunday. The company issued an apology to affected customers, acknowledging the ongoing disruption and explaining that the treatment plant shutdown caused dependent local drinking water storage tanks to run low.
The water board's customer care team has been actively delivering bottles to registered priority customers while engineers work to resolve the technical issues at the Pembury treatment facility.
