Sir Keir Starmer Says Water Supply Situation In Sussex Is “Clearly Totally Unacceptable”

The government has described the ongoing water supply problems in Sussex as “clearly totally unacceptable”, following widespread leaks and bursts across the South East Water network.

Sir Keir Starmer said ministers have been holding daily emergency meetings during the crisis to “hold the company to account,” as thousands of homes continue to face interruptions.

Residents in East Grinstead can expect supplies to return by tomorrow morning, while around 6,500 customers in Tunbridge Wells have had water restored but could experience temporary outages again later.

The issues have been caused by recent weather, which South East Water says has caused bursts and leaks on its network to increase five-fold.

The Prime Minister’s comments came in response to criticism from political leaders highlighting repeated failures by the water company to maintain supplies for customers in Sussex.