A major water supply failure has left thousands of residents in a Kent town without tap water for four days, after a utility company accidentally introduced the wrong chemicals into the system.
Around 18,000 properties in Tunbridge Wells remain affected, with schools forced to close, businesses losing revenue, and vulnerable residents reporting severe difficulties accessing emergency supplies.
Cause of the Crisis: A Faulty Chemical Batch
The disruption began on Saturday night when South East Water used a defective batch of coagulant chemicals at its Pembury water treatment site. Coagulants are crucial for purifying water, and the error created a water quality issue that necessitated an immediate shutdown.
The company had to close the facility to flush and clean the contaminated pipes. While South East Water has confirmed the Pembury site is now operational again, the process of restoring safe water to the entire network is ongoing.
Matthew Dean, South East Water’s incident manager, stated: “The number of properties currently without water is around 18,000. As water supplies return, customers may experience discolouration. This is normal and happens when naturally-occurring deposits, which settle and build up within our network of water mains over time, are disturbed.”
Community Struggles and Mounting Anger
The prolonged outage has sparked chaos and frustration across the community. With taps dry, residents have resorted to collecting rainwater in buckets to flush their toilets. Some have even been purchasing bottled water, including brands like Evian, for their pets.
Local MP Mike Martin, of the Liberal Democrats, has demanded the resignation of South East Water’s CEO, David Hinton. Martin condemned the company’s “chaotic emergency response and woeful communication,” labelling the situation “an utter disgrace and a total failure of leadership.”
He highlighted the extensive knock-on effects: restaurants and hotels have suffered significant financial losses due to closures, while care homes and GP surgeries were also left without essential water supplies.
Elderly and Vulnerable Left Behind
One of the most critical failures of the response has been the support for elderly and vulnerable residents. South East Water established bottled water stations around the town, including at the Upper Pantiles car park, but many older people have found them impossible to reach.
Reports indicate that home deliveries promised by the water company have not materialised for many, forcing those affected to rely on the kindness of neighbours for basic supplies.
The government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has called the situation “unacceptable.” A Defra spokesperson said officials were working with the water company to ensure support was in place and that steps were being taken to resolve the incident urgently.
As the clean-up continues, residents express a mix of exhaustion and dark humour. “Heavy rain. No water in taps. Dog and rabbit drinking Evian. Welcome to living in Tunbridge Wells in 2025,” said one local named Roger. Another resident, Martin Bryant, summed up the surreal experience: “What a time to be alive.”
