South East Water announces new hosepipe ban for Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire
South East Water has announced a new hosepipe ban following a series of operational failures and financial instability. The company is currently under investigation by Ofwat and is seeking new financing to remain solvent.
Why it matters
The situation highlights critical infrastructure challenges and the financial fragility of privatized utility providers in the UK.
South East Water has been at the centre of a string of problems over the past few months.
In November, 24,000 SEW customers lost supply or pressure in the Tunbridge Wells area before about 30,000 homes in Kent and Sussex were hit with supply issues just weeks later.
Customers were advised during the issues in 2025 to boil their water before consumption for a nine-day period after supplies returned.
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