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Thousands of homes have been without water for four days in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, after South East Water accidentally added the wrong chemicals to the tap water supply.
Schools across the area have been shut for two days, and residents have been filling buckets with rainwater to flush toilets. Cats, dogs and guinea pigs have been given bottled mineral water to drink as the people of Tunbridge Wells wait for their water to be switched back on. Currently, 18,000 homes are without water.
The water company accidentally used a bad batch of coagulant chemicals at its Pembury treatment site, meaning it had to be closed down in order to clean out the pipes. The site is up and running again.
Bottled water stations are open around Tunbridge Wells as the water company scrambles to ensure no one runs out. Elderly people have reported having difficulties reaching these stations and having to rely on neighbours as the water company has not managed to do home deliveries.
Mike Martin, the local Liberal Democrat MP, has called for the CEO of South East Water to resign.
He said: “I am calling on David Hinton, the CEO of South East Water, to resign. Twenty-four thousand properties have endured three days of South East Water’s chaotic emergency response and woeful communication. It’s an utter disgrace and a total failure of leadership by David Hinton.”
Martin added that restaurants and hotels had lost thousands in revenue as they were forced to shut, and care homes were left without water, as well as GP surgeries having to close.
Martin Bryant, a Tunbridge Wells resident, said he collected water on Monday during heavy rainfall to enable him to flush his toilet. “What a time to be alive”, he said. Roger, another resident, said: “Heavy rain. No water in taps. Dog and rabbit drinking Evian. Welcome to living in Tunbridge Wells in 2025.”
The government has said the disruption is “unacceptable”. A Defra spokesperson said: “We are in regular contact with South East Water on the disruption to water supplies in Tunbridge Wells, and Defra officials are working closely with the company to ensure support is in place for those affected. Steps are being taken to resolve the incident as quickly as possible.
“This kind of disruption is unacceptable and we expect the water company to continue taking urgent steps to support residents and resolve the issue as soon as possible.”
South East Water’s incident manager, Matthew Dean, said: “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.
“Our Pembury treatment site is now up and running after it stopped working on Saturday night due to a water quality issue.”
