Watchdog Slams South East Water As Thousands In Sussex Left Without Reliable Supply

Water supply problems continue to affect thousands of customers across parts of Sussex, prompting criticism of South East Water’s handling of the disruption.

Areas including East Grinstead, Burgess Hill and Cuckfield have experienced no water or intermittent supplies since the weekend, with the company blaming Storm Goretti and a power cut.

Consumer watchdog the Consumer Council for Water said the situation was “not good enough”, arguing the network repeatedly fails during periods of extreme weather and needs greater investment.

South East Water has apologised and says engineers are working to restore supplies, with customers in Sussex expected to see water return by Tuesday or Wednesday.

The company says the scale of the pipe network means restoration must be carried out slowly to avoid further damage.

Residents and businesses in Sussex have reported significant disruption, with some households relying on bottled water and independent retailers said to be operating at reduced capacity or forced to close.

The company says it has set up bottled water stations and is delivering supplies to customers on its priority services register.

Criticism of South East Water’s leadership has grown amid the disruption, with calls for greater accountability over the company’s investment in infrastructure and its response to repeated supply failures.