Thousands in Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead, Maidstone, Whitstable, and Canterbury Face Water Outages
More than 30,000 homes and schools across Kent and Sussex are battling water shortages or low pressure after a major incident was declared. Disruptions, caused by burst pipes and power cuts linked to Storm Goretti and freezing weather, are expected to drag on until Tuesday morning at the earliest.
Schools Shut and Frustrated Locals Demand Action
Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran confirmed that key areas such as Canterbury, Maidstone, Hollingbourne, and Tunbridge Wells remain without water “yet again.” The ongoing crisis has forced some schools to close, with pupils forced to switch to online lessons.
“A major incident has now been declared as more homes have been affected within the past 24 hours,” Kemkaran posted on X. “We are putting extra plans in place for further possible disruption.”
Emma Hickling, executive headteacher for four Kent schools, described the situation as “infuriating” due to poor communication around water restoration timings. Over 270 pupils across Maidstone’s schools have had their education hit hard.
Water Company Under Fire – MPs Call for Resignation
South East Water (SEW) is taking flak for the ongoing chaos. Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield and fellow MPs Helen Grant and Tom Tugendhat have joined calls for the SEW chief’s resignation.
“I’ve been liaising all day with South East Water about the outages,” Duffield said. “They’re working round the clock but warn that further outages could hit during peak times today.”
Lib Dem MP Mike Martin for Tunbridge Wells slammed the water company, vowing to “raise hell” in talks with SEW over affected schools, especially with critical exams underway.
Current Status & Where to Get Help
- Water supply won’t fully return until Tuesday morning and may be intermittent.
- The bottled water station at Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club is temporarily closed but expected to reopen by 6pm after restocking.
- Bottled water available today (9am-10pm) at:
- East Grinstead Sports Club
- Kings Centre, East Grinstead
- East Court, East Grinstead
- Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club
- Headcorn Aerodrome, Ashford
- SEW is delivering bottled water to those on Priority Services Registers.
Postal areas affected include CT5 2AB, ME14 4PA, TN3 9BW, TN4 8BG, CT2 8JH, TN12 0BW, ME15 9UD, ME17 1XD, and TN2 3PZ.
Residents Furious as Water Shortages Drag On
Locals in Tunbridge Wells and surrounding areas branded the crisis “unacceptable,” demanding urgent government intervention and an emergency plan.
>“Livid” residents demand that the Government step in immediately as the water blackout worsens.
Meanwhile, SEW apologises for the “tough time” customers face and assures efforts are underway to fix leaks and balance the network.
This is a developing story — stay tuned for the latest updates on the Kent water shortage crisis.
