Water supplies return to three Kent villages

Water supplies have been returned to properties in three villages in Kent after disruptions since Saturday.

Charing, Challock and Molash began facing disruption on Saturday morning, with issues peaking on Sunday with about 800 homes affected.

A South East Water (SEW) spokesperson said customers should have water returned on Tuesday "albeit at low pressure".

They apologised for the lack of supply over the weekend, adding that exceptionally high temperatures created "very high demand for tap water supplies".

It added a bottle station was open at Challock Village Hall, Blind Lane, Challock, Ashford TN25 4AU.

Matthew Dean, head of operations, said: "Our teams have worked throughout the night and continue to work hard this morning to restore drinking water supplies across the region.

"We had planned for this given the weather forecasts by increasing output at our water treatment works across our supply area and putting extra water into the network."

He added the company's tankers had been "working 24/7" putting additional water into the network in areas where demand had been "extremely high" over recent days.

"However, due to the nature of water supply networks, some customers on higher ground or at the far end of the network may have low pressure or supply interruptions, especially at peak use times," he said.

Dean added as the hot spell was set to continue, he urged customers to be "mindful" of their water use to help relieve pressure on the water system.

SEW reported about 64 properties in the Radfall area of Whitstable were experiencing low pressure or no water as a pump has failed.

Additionally, fewer than 20 properties on higher ground in the Ulcombe area of Kent continue to experience water supply problems while Canterbury and surrounding areas have disruption to their supply.

SEW said water supplies have been returned to properties in areas including Ashford and surrounding areas and Amsbury Road in Maidstone and Waltham Road in Hastingleigh.

Meanwhile, water has been returned to properties in Decoy Drive in Eastbourne, East Sussex, the water company said.

The company said customers in Broomfield Gate, Whitstable, would see their water supplies returned throughout Tuesday.

It said the levels in drinking water storage tanks had been improved overnight.

"However, as today is expected to be hotter than Monday, a surge in demand for water may cause intermittent supplies throughout the day and into this evening," it added.

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield said the water disruption was "totally unacceptable".

"Yet again, when people need the most basic utility of all during an unprecedented heat wave, they have been failed by South East Water," she said.

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