30,000 Homes in Kent and Sussex Get Water Back After Storm

After nearly a week of disruption, water is flowing back into homes across Kent and Sussex, bringing relief to 30,000 customers who went without this essential resource. The outage began last Saturday when Storm Goretti's fury caused burst pipes and power cuts throughout the region.

South East Water worked around the clock to restore service to affected areas. By Friday, the utility company successfully reconnected 6,500 properties in Tunbridge Wells by implementing a recovery plan that kept local booster pumps switched off for 36 hours, allowing drinking water storage tanks to refill properly.

Mathew Dean, the company's incident manager, acknowledged the hardship families faced. "We know and understand how difficult going without water for such a long period of time is and how difficult it makes everyday life," he said in a statement.

The restoration effort involved creative problem solving. For roughly 320 properties in Bidborough still experiencing low water levels, the company deployed water tankers to keep supplies steady while pressure builds back to normal levels.

The Bright Side

Despite the challenges, this story highlights how communities pulled together during a crisis. Bottled water stations remained open throughout Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, and Bidborough, ensuring no one went completely without. Neighbors checked on neighbors, and local organizations coordinated support for elderly residents and families with young children who needed extra help.

The swift restoration also shows improved crisis response. While previous outages in the region lasted up to two weeks, this incident was resolved in under seven days thanks to better coordination and more aggressive intervention strategies.

South East Water staff worked through freezing temperatures and difficult conditions to hand distribute water and repair damaged infrastructure. Their dedication meant families could return to normal routines faster than initially expected.

Water regulators are now reviewing the incident to ensure future storms don't cause similar disruptions. The investigation will help utilities across the UK prepare better emergency response plans, potentially preventing tens of thousands of other families from experiencing water outages during severe weather.

Most customers now enjoy normal water pressure, and the remaining bottled water stations will stay open as a precaution while the last areas come fully back online.