Water Supplies Restored After Disruption Linked To Sussex Treatment Works

Water supplies have been restored to thousands of homes after a burst pipe linked to a key Sussex treatment facility caused widespread disruption.

Properties in parts of Kent, including Brenchley, Matfield, Pembury and Lamberhurst, were affected from Thursday morning following a fault on a main connected to the Bewl Water Treatment Works.

Although the pipe was repaired later that day, problems continued for some households – particularly those on higher ground – due to airlocks within the system.

Around 5,850 properties were impacted, with full restoration not confirmed until Sunday.

During the outage, bottled water stations were set up to support residents, while engineers worked to clear remaining air pockets and stabilise supplies.

Water company South East Water has apologised for the disruption, which highlights the importance of infrastructure in Sussex that supports water supply across the wider South East.

The incident follows previous supply issues earlier this year, linked to extreme weather conditions, which saw tens of thousands of homes lose water at the height of the disruption.