Households face water supply misery until Sunday

Bottled water stations had been opened in Mayfield, Rotherfield, Wadhurst and Ashford

Households in Kent and Sussex face being without water until Sunday as supply problems persist in parts of the south-east for a fifth day.

Areas including Wadhurst, Mayfield, Biddenden and Staplehurst have been affected by outages which were first reported on Monday.

South East Water has apologised to those affected and said it is doing everything it can.

The company blamed the hot weather and increased demand for the outages, but has been heavily criticised by local MPs and customers.

A burst pipe in Tunbridge Wells was repaired on Thursday and all customers locally that had been experiencing low pressure or no water are back in full supply, the firm said.

Households in Wadhurst should have supplies restored by the end of the day, but it could be the end of the weekend before homes in Crowborough, Rotherfield and Mayfield are reconnected.

The supply issues had forced several schools to close, and Rotherfield Primary School in Crowborough remains shut.

A burst pipe in Tunbridge Wells was repaired on Thursday

The demand for water is higher in Wadhurst, Mayfield, Biddenden and Staplehurst than the amount the company can treat and supply, South East Water said.

“We're asking our customers to use water for essential use only while we build up our storage reserves," a statement added.

Paul Duggen, a horse owner in Sussex, said he is having to get in water supplies from elsewhere.

“I’ve been without water since Monday,” he said. “I’m having to cope with three horses, as well as our own needs.

“I’m having to go to one of my daughters, as she has still got water.”

Bottled water stations have been opened at Mayfield Memorial Hall, Rotherfield Village Hall, Sparrows Green Recreation Ground in Wadhurst and Headcorn Aerodrome in Ashford.

The supply issues have provoked criticism from customers and local MPs directed towards the water company.

The situation was described as "completely unacceptable" by Greg Clark, the Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells.