Thousands impacted by water supply issues in Tunbridge Wells area
South East Water cites treatment works failure as main cause
Last updated 19th Jul 2026
Thousands of residents across Kent are experiencing significant water supply issues due to a malfunction at a local treatment works, according to South East Water (SEW).
Approximately 7,000 properties around the Tunbridge Wells area are affected, facing challenges such as low pressure, intermittent supply, or completely no water.
Cause and Response
An instrument failure at SEW’s treatment works in Tunbridge Wells led to a brief shutdown of the site, further exacerbated by recent high demand for drinking water in the area.
While the treatment works is now back in operation, the inability to pump water to customers remains problematic, particularly for those living on higher ground.
SEW is working to boost storage tank levels to secure a continuous and stable water supply, but restoration is unlikely before Sunday evening at the earliest.
Support and Further Developments
Bottled water stations have been set up to support affected residents, located at Tesco Superstore on Pembury Road and Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club in St Marks Recreation Ground, running until 10 pm on Saturday and reopening at 7 am on Sunday.
The incident comes shortly after SEW was ordered to pay £30.5 million following a series of investigations by Ofwat, the water industry watchdog, due to previous supply interruptions impacting over 286,000 households across Kent and Sussex between 2020 and 2023.
SEW continues to face challenges, as they report the need for fresh financing following a £55 million financial hit from winter outages, with enough cash reserves projected to last until July 2027.
The company's efforts to secure a new loan facility are underway, and discussions with lenders aim to stabilise future operations.