Here’s the latestpublished at 11:20 GMT
11:20 GMT
Image source, PA Media
As many as 25,000 properties in Kent and Sussex are still affected by water issues today. South East Water (SEW) has said those households either have no water or have intermittent supplies.
What has happened?
Over the weekend, tens of thousands of homes in south-east England were left without water in what Kent Count Council has declared as a major incident.
Some schools in Sussex and Kent have had to close because of the lack of water.
Yesterday, about 30,000 customers were affected and some hospital appointments had to be carried out virtually due to a lack of water.
What’s behind the water shortage?
South East Water, which manages the area, blames the recent freezing weather. It says the freeze-thaw conditions led to burst pipes and low storage levels of drinking water.
It also blames Storm Goretti, which it said meant it couldn’t treat raw water at the normal rate.
Earlier, they said they were doing “everything that we can to support customers”.
What do regulators and politicians say?
Water regulator Ofwat voiced its concern over the situation, adding that it has an active investigation into SEW’s “supply resilience”.
MP Helen Grant, who represents Maidstone and Malling, says SEW “must not be allowed to get away with their latest handling of another water crisis”. Grant is one of a number of MPs who has called on SEW’s boss, David Hinton, to resign.
Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Lib Dem MP for Tunbridge Wells Mike Martin condemned the water company’s leadership.