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A boss at crisis-hit South East Water (SEW), was shocked The company said water tariff increases were needed to strengthen the water company’s resilience as supply issues affected thousands of people in Kent and Sussex.
seam claimed The latest supply disruption was caused by burst pipes and power outages caused by Storm Goretti – but the company have faced anger The public and politicians alike said the service was not up to par.
Approximately 30,000 homes were no water In places such as Tonbridge, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells, many residents have had to scavenge for supplies from bottle collection points set up in affected areas.
Now, water regulator Ofwat continues its investigation into the company, with its chairman Chris Train Already told Lawmakers say more money is needed to pay for preventive measures to stem blackouts.
Last year, water companies put up Bills are up 20% on the previous year, meaning the average household bill is £294. It is also one of the five companies Want to raise your bill That’s higher than the figure set by regulators for the next five years.
In a letter to the environment select committee, Train said: “We have put forward a delivery plan that we believe is necessary and appropriate to ensure Ofwat remains resilient through the price review process.
“Among other things, Ofwat’s decision to refuse to fully fund key resilience schemes means that as a board we have no choice but to make the difficult decision to appeal Ofwat’s decision to the Competition and Markets Authority in March 2025.”
He said he expected the outcome of the CMA’s decision, which temporarily allows for a further 4% increase on the previously approved 24%, to be finalized in the coming weeks.
Train said the company, unlike other water utilities across the country, faces faster and more severe impacts of climate change. He also said it was facing increased demand for water, which would require “very significant additional infrastructure”.
However, suggestions for further price rises were met with fury in affected towns and villages on Wednesday, with schools and businesses forced to close and many claiming the company had failed to keep them informed.
The latest water shortage also occurred before Christmas, when more than 20,000 properties were without water.
Paddy McGinley, who lives in Urcombe, near Maidstone, said during the water shortage he and other villagers had to buy bottled water and give it to vulnerable people in the community.
“We’re doing their job for them,” he told independent. “How can they expect us to pay more. They are a water company and it’s their job to provide water and they need to solve this problem themselves instead of going out of their way to make us pay more.”
Mr McKinley said he was urging villagers to remove any unused credits from their water accounts in protest at the company’s performance.
Meanwhile, Alistair Carmichael, chairman of the environment select committee, Tell telegraph Mr Train’s letter showed he “failed to properly appreciate the gravity of the situation”.
He added: “We hope to hold further evidentiary meetings to get to the bottom of South East Water’s multiple issues. Their customers deserve answers and know they have access to safe and reliable water. The company will not be allowed to avoid this.”
SEW chief executive David Hinton was grilled by MP Carmichael and other members of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on Monday. On the same day, during an emergency question in the House of Commons, several MPs called on the government to sack Mr Hinton.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said: “The chief executive of South East Water has shown us, not for the first time, that he is not up to the job. Can I urge the honorable lady to use whatever powers she has to keep him going?”
Southeast Water has repeatedly apologized for the water shortage. The company said in a statement on its website Wednesday: “We deeply apologize to all customers who are currently without water or experiencing low water pressure.
“We know how difficult it is to be without water and this is not the level of service we want to provide. We are using every resource available to deliver water; from fixing leaks to redirecting water flows around our network.”
The water company said customers in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge were still experiencing water supply problems.
