Water bosses have apologised as a latest outage has seen almost 1,400 homes in Kent facing supply issues for the second day in a row.
Those living in Benenden, Cranbrook, and Rolvenden have been without water or facing low pressure as the county’s latest hot spell continues.
Almost 1,400 homes across Benenden, Cranbrook, and Rolvenden are facing water supply issues. Picture: South East Water
South East Water (SEW) says the interruptions started shortly before 6am on Friday and are still ongoing this evening.
In a statement released just before 8pm, the company said the latest burst water main in Swattenden Lane, Cranbrook, has been repaired, adding the “vast majority of customers will see their water supplies returning this evening”.
But it warns that airlocks in its system “will take time to remove” following multiple bursts in the area.
Bosses say they will continue to deliver bottled water to all customers in the affected areas this evening.
And they confirmed a water collection point at The Weald Sports Centre in Cranbrook will stay open until 10pm tonight.
South East Water has set up a water station at The Weald Sports Centre in Cranbrook. Stock picture
In an earlier statement this afternoon, SEW said it “fully acknowledges that this level of service is not acceptable”.
Today’s issues come just one week after residents in Bredgar, Borden and Doddington areas were left without water last Saturday (August 8).
Those in Teynham, Lenham, Charing and Egerton also faced issues throughout that weekend.
Last month, new SEW boss, John Halsall, promised a £1.9 billion infrastructure boost to “really focus” on fixing leaks and other problems.
He replaced the under-fire David Hinton following months of pressure from MPs and residents after thousands of homes and businesses were left without supplies.
“We fully acknowledge that this level of service is not acceptable…”
Mr Halsall has announced SEW will be ploughing resources into long-term “sustainable improvements” and taking “small actions” to improve the service during the next nine months.
The huge cash injection will go towards more storage tanks and reservoirs as well as improving water treatment works.
It would also be spent on changing the way water is moved around pipes in the south east.