Tunbridge Wells water problems affecting 23,000 customers

Around 23,000 customers are without water in Kent and the problem will continue into the night, a water company has confirmed.

On Saturday, South East Water (SEW) apologized to customers in the Tunbridge Wells area who were experiencing a loss of water or low pressure due to a problem at a treatment plant.

Previously, SEW delayed its estimated resolution of the issue until 06:00 GMT on Monday.

Matthew Dean, head of operations control, said Pembury Water Treatment Works had stopped operating “due to a faulty chemical batch”.

A new batch of the chemical was received on Sunday, he said.

South East Water incident manager Marc Sims said the company was aware of about 24,000 customers who were without water.

He said: “We are continuing to move water and pump tanks into the network to try and recover as much supply as possible.

“We received a new batch of the affected chemical this morning and the necessary water quality checks are currently being carried out.”

Bottled water stations have been installed at the Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre, in St John’s Road, Tunbridge Wells, and at the Sovereign Way East car park, in Tonbridge.

“However, due to the winter festival in Tonbridge, we have closed the Sovereign Way bottled water station,” Sims said.

Another bottled water station is expected to open at RCP Parking in Tunbridge Wells.

“We are waiting for the bottled water to be delivered. We will let you know when the station is ready for use,” Sims added.

Nicola Hodgson, who lives near Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells, was among customers asking why the first water station was set up in a “completely different town”.

She said her husband had tried to visit Tonbridge water station “early in the morning and there was nothing there”.

“We have two small children, five and seven years old, so [they] “At the moment we have gone to live with their grandmothers so we can get them something to drink and have working bathrooms,” he added.

Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin said he too was without water and had spoken to the chief executive of SEW.

He wrote in X: “For those who don’t know, the problem has been caused by a defective batch of coagulant chemicals.

“A new set of chemicals have been procured and the team has been working through the night to clean up Pembury Treatment Works.”

Meanwhile, Teresa Barrett, who runs the Black Horse on Camden Road, said the pub had been without running water since midnight.

She said: “Sadly this means it is illegal for us to open. If I could I would open.”

Losing a day of trading would be “extremely damaging”, the landlady said, adding: “I can’t afford to be closed, I can’t lose a day of trading in the current climate.

“Things are difficult enough for hospitality, businesses in this sector would have prepared to book a table today and would have lost an extreme amount of money.” [and] The staff will still have to be paid.”

Peter Vincent, who lives in Grove Hill, said he noticed “the cistern was not filling properly” on Sunday morning.

“The flow and pressure would come downhill from the power grid,” he told BBC Radio Kent.

“For us to be that slow, it’s going to be pretty difficult for some people somewhere in the city when everyone starts pumping out the water.”