"Water's been restored but my home's flooded": says 82-year-old Tunbridge Wells resident
As Tunbridge Wells grapples with the ongoing water crisis, one elderly resident has described how the restoration of water caused a flood in her home.
Carol Wilson, 82, lives in a listed building in Tunbridge Wells with her 86-year-old husband Pat.
They had been without water for more than five days before South East Water restored supplies to 24,000 households.
However, the restoration came with its own challenges, including a precautionary boil notice and complications for properties with older plumbing systems.
For Carol, the force of water returning caused flooding late Monday night in her home.
“We suddenly saw at least three inches of water swirling around, coming from the cloakroom. I spent two hours mopping and trying to stop it spreading to the wooden floors,” she said.
Although the water has stopped flowing, Carol Wilson is left dealing with damp conditions and residual concerns over her home's aging pipes. “Flooding in a listed building is a significant issue. The impact of the force of water returning after days of nothing has been overwhelming,” she added.
Carol's daughter had to drive from Sussex everyday to help the couple get access to bottled water.
Some days she couldn't come so Carol found herself navigating traffic jams and long queues to access a water station on St John’s Road. “It took an hour, and I had to drag twelve bottles into the house, one by one,” she recounted.
She also criticised the lack of clear communication from South East Water, detailing how shifting timelines for resolution added to the community’s anxiety and frustration.
“Every day it was a different story about when the supply would come back—8pm, then 6am, then 3pm. It felt endless,” Carol said.
Her wider concerns extend to elderly and vulnerable members of the community, particularly those who live alone or lack access to digital resources. “Many older people don’t use smartphones or computers and are reliant on neighbours or volunteers for updates. It’s a high-risk situation,” she said, emphasising the need for better communication strategies.
Despite the frustrations, Carol says “neighbours have been wonderful. People have come together to help us manage, as they did during Covid."
She also voiced her disappointment at the lack of adequate planning from South East Water, adding, “There have been so many issues in this area with water infrastructure, and there doesn’t seem to be a proper contingency plan for when things go wrong. These issues need risk assessments and transparency.”
Carol concluded by reflecting on the ordeal: “This has been exhausting. You just don’t expect this level of disruption in a place like Tunbridge Wells. I hope the council and South East Water will learn from this and create proper plans to avoid future crises.”
South East Water has apologised for the disruption and confirmed that while water has been restored to many homes, a boil notice remains in effect. Water is safe for flushing toilets or showering, but must be boiled before drinking or using for cooking.
The company hopes to lift the boil notice and restore safe drinking water within the next week.
Residents can find updates, guidance, and bottled water station locations on their website: southeastwater.co.uk .
Bottled water station locations
South East Water's bottled water distribution sites remain open daily until 10pm at:
Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre, St John's Rd, TN4 9TX
Odeon Cinema car park, Knights Way, TN2 3UW
B&M Store with Garden Centre, Linden Park Road, TN2 5QL (grab bags available for cleaning but not drinking)