Thousands of Whitstable residents faced long lines under the scorching heat to get bottled water as their taps stopped running. South East Water attributed the water shortages to critical storage reservoir levels during the recent heatwave.

Approximately 8,000 customers in the area are currently without water, leading to traffic jams and queues at a bottled water distribution point at a local Sainsbury’s. The water company advised residents to conserve water for essential purposes like drinking, washing, and cooking due to ongoing supply challenges since the hot bank holiday weekend.

Kent County Council officials promised increased oversight of water supply, quality, and infrastructure in response to multiple recent water outages that left residents frustrated. While tap water is expected to return to Whitstable later on Thursday, intermittent supply issues may persist through the weekend, according to South East Water’s incident manager Steve Benton.

In addition to Whitstable, around 7,000 customers in Tankerton, Ashford, Ulcombe, Cranbrook, Coxheath, and Headcorn are experiencing low water pressure or intermittent supply. The water company warned that another 7,000 residents are at risk of facing water supply disruptions.

South East Water reported pumping 628 million liters of water to customers on Wednesday, significantly exceeding the daily average for May. Despite efforts to restore water levels, some customers may continue to experience intermittent water supply. Mr. Benton expressed apologies to customers and assured continued efforts to address the ongoing issues.

Following recent outages and leadership changes within South East Water, Kent County Council announced the establishment of the Kent Water Resilience Partnership to oversee water resilience in the county. The partnership, led by council leader Linden Kemkaran, aims to improve planning, performance, and public transparency regarding water issues in Kent.

Ms. Kemkaran emphasized the need for clearer communication and accountability regarding water supply disruptions, stating that the current fragmented responsibility system is inadequate. The Green group at Kent County Council supported the initiative, calling for urgent action to ensure a reliable water supply for residents.

The move comes amid growing concerns over the adequacy of water supply in Kent, with calls for a comprehensive plan to address the recurring water supply issues. Green councillor Stuart Heaver demanded immediate action to assess and rectify the situation to ensure a reliable water supply for residents.