Water crisis in Maidstone: Thousands without water due to operational issues
Water Disruption Affects Thousands in Maidstone
Water shortages have left thousands of residents in parts of Maidstone without water, and the situation could persist throughout the weekend, according to South East Water (SEW). The company has attributed the problem to operational issues at Southern Water, affecting customers in Hollingbourne, Headcorn, and surrounding villages.
Operational Issues at Southern Water
Steve Andrews, incident manager for SEW, explained that the low pressure and intermittent supply are due to operational challenges at Southern Water, which pumps 20 million litres of treated water daily to these areas. The supply has been temporarily halted, leading to low storage reservoir levels.
Impact on Food Businesses
Maidstone Borough Council has advised food businesses without running water to close for hygiene reasons. SEW is actively working to prevent outages and restore services.
Storm Goretti's Role
Earlier this week, a series of burst water mains on SEW's network left thousands without water. The refilling of treated water storage reservoirs was further complicated by Storm Goretti, which arrived on Thursday, affecting the treatment rate.
Bottled Water Distribution
SEW has set up a bottled water station at Headcorn Aerodrome and is delivering bottled water to priority customers. The company is also moving water from other network areas and using tankers to inject water directly into the system to support demand.
Water Disruption in Tunbridge Wells
Meanwhile, residents in Tunbridge Wells were informed on Friday that they could expect continued water supply disruptions until Tuesday. The town's MP, Mike Martin, expressed frustration over the intermittent water supply, stating it makes planning difficult.
SEW's Response
SEW has assured customers that, until the network stabilizes, they can expect normal flow in the mornings but no water in the afternoons and evenings. The company believes that this is the quickest way to restore normal water supplies, with expected stability by January 13th.
