Thu, 15 Jan 2026

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 Ofwat launches investigation into South East Water

Anger is high after thousands of customers in Kent and Sussex have experienced days of water chaos.

* Regulator Ofwat has opened an investigation into South East Water's handling of recent water supply failures in Kent and Sussex.
* Over 30,000 properties were affected at the height of the problems, with thousands still without water on Thursday.
* Ofwat will investigate whether South East Water provided high standards of customer service and support during the disruptions.
* If a licence condition is breached, Ofwat could fine South East Water up to 10% of its turnover.
* The investigation comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the situation as "totally unacceptable".
* Customers are feeling anxious and uncertain about their water supply, with some schools forced to close due to the issues.
* Businesses have been affected by the outage, with one restaurant owner losing £1,000 a day.
* South East Water's CEO has faced criticism from MPs over his handling of the crisis, with some calling for him to resign.
* The company is already under investigation by Ofwat and the Drinking Water Inspectorate over earlier supply disruptions.
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