South East Water must pay £30.5m over supply failures in Kent and Sussex
South East Water has been ordered to pay £30.5 million in redress following repeated water supply failures in Kent and Sussex. The funds will be used for customer improvements, including smart metering and water storage, rather than being paid as a fine to the government.
Why it matters
This highlights the increasing regulatory pressure on utility companies to prioritize service reliability and consumer compensation over shareholder dividends.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, South East Water distributing water to customers after thousands of properties across Tunbridge Wells were affected by water disruptions in January 2026
South East Water must spend £30.5m on improvements after supply interruptions hit thousands of its customers across Kent and Sussex.
Water regulator Ofwat said this follows the conclusion of three investigations into the company's repeated failures.
The redress package will be paid for by the firm's shareholders and not through customer bills.
A spokesperson for the water company said they were "incredibly sorry" for the historical supply disruptions for Kent and Sussex customers.
"We know this caused significant disruption and anxiety, and we accept the failures identified by Ofwat," they said.
"It is not the standard of service our customers deserve.
"Our priority has been to ensure that the resolution of this investigation directly benefits those who suffered the most."
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