Kent's Water Woes: Thousands Restored, But Hundreds Still Face Supply Issues!
Kent's Water Woes: Thousands Restored, But Hundreds Still Face Supply Issues!
Good news for many in Kent! South East Water has restored supplies to 7,600 properties. However, around 400 homes still face disruption. Find out where bottled water stations are open and what's next.
South East Water (SEW) has announced that drinking water supplies have been largely restored to approximately 7,600 properties across Kent that had been experiencing no water or low pressure. This latest disruption had affected over 8,000 customers in total.
Despite the significant progress, about 400 properties in areas including Benenden, Cranbrook, and Rolvenden are still grappling with low pressure or a complete lack of water. Additionally, residents in Herne Bay might experience intermittent supplies later today as the system stabilizes.
The utility company attributed the widespread issues to a combination of factors, including prolonged hot weather, unusually high demand, pipe bursts, and power-related problems. Mike Court, South East Water incident manager, emphasized that water levels in the storage tank supplying Benenden, Cranbrook, and Rolvenden remain "critically low." He urged all customers, even those with restored service, to continue using water for "essential uses only" today to help preserve dwindling reserves.
For those still affected, several bottled water stations have been made available. The station at the Weald Sports Centre in Cranbrook, identified as one of the worst-hit areas alongside Benenden, has reopened. Other collection points include Sainsburys at Altira Business Park and Kavanagh Cinema on William Street Car Park, both in Herne Bay, as well as the Sturry Road and Wincheap Park and Ride locations in Canterbury. These stations are crucial for residents who have faced days of disruption, with some previously told it could take a couple more days for their supplies to fully normalize.
