Story perspectives

Ofwat Investigates South East Water Over Ongoing Outages

1/16/2026

Summary

Story summary

Ofwat has initiated an investigation into South East Water (SEW) due to significant water supply outages impacting tens of thousands of households in Kent and Sussex.
Since November 2022, residents have experienced ongoing disruptions, with some lacking water for up to six days.
SEW linked the recent outages to Storm Goretti, which caused burst pipes and power outages, leaving approximately 8,500 properties without water as of Thursday.
The investigation will determine if SEW violated its customer service obligations amid increasing political pressure for SEW's chief executive, David Hinton, to resign.

History

Historical Context

The UK's Water Act, established in 2010, aimed to enhance water supply management and customer service. South East Water, serving 2.2 million customers, faced scrutiny in 2022 and 2023 due to significant outages affecting thousands of households. This ongoing investigation highlights critical concerns about infrastructure resilience and regulatory accountability amid increasing climate-related challenges, emphasizing the need for effective oversight in the water sector.

1 of 2

Story summary

Ofwat has initiated an investigation into South East Water (SEW) due to significant water supply outages impacting tens of thousands of households in Kent and Sussex.
Since November 2022, residents have experienced ongoing disruptions, with some lacking water for up to six days.
SEW linked the recent outages to Storm Goretti, which caused burst pipes and power outages, leaving approximately 8,500 properties without water as of Thursday.
The investigation will determine if SEW violated its customer service obligations amid increasing political pressure for SEW's chief executive, David Hinton, to resign.

1 / 2