Calls Grow To Block Bonus For South East Water Chief After Water Crisis

South East Water’s boss should not receive a bonus following recent widespread water outages, according to the Environment Secretary.

David Hinton, the company’s chief executive, was paid a £115,000 bonus last year on top of a £400,000 salary, with his bonus expected to more than double this year.

This comes despite repeated supply failures and ongoing regulatory investigations.

Speaking to the BBC, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said “poorly performing water bosses should not be receiving a bonus”, describing South East Water as the “poorest performer”.

Up to 30,000 properties across the south of England were left without water during the disruption last week, prompting Ofwat to launch its first-ever investigation into the company.

Some households were without supply for the second time in six weeks.

The shortages forced school closures before Christmas and led to long queues for bottled water.

South East Water also faced criticism over poor communication as repair deadlines were repeatedly pushed back.

Mr Hinton was recently recalled to Parliament to answer questions from MPs, with calls for his resignation coming from across the political spectrum.

Regulators have since said the company was “flying blind” in the weeks leading up to the crisis.

South East Water says it faces greater pressure than other suppliers due to population growth in the south of England. The company has been contacted for comment.

The comments come ahead of a major government announcement on reforming the water industry, including plans to abolish Ofwat and introduce a new regulator.