Kent water failure was foreseen and could have been stopped, regulator says

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Helena Horton Environment reporterJanuary 6, 2026 at 03:48 PM

Read Original Article

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

A water failure at the Pembury water treatment centre in Kent left 24,000 homes in the Tunbridge Wells area without drinking water for two weeks starting November 30, 2023. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) stated that the failure, which involved a coagulant chemical malfunctioning, was foreseeable and preventable. According to the DWI, South East Water failed to conduct proper testing requested by the regulator, neglected to install a necessary filter, and relied on manual data collection instead of an electronic system. The DWI noted a "noticeable deterioration" at the plant as early as November 9th. South East Water's chief executive, David Hinton, attributed the problem to unexpected changes in raw water chemistry and customer lifestyle changes, despite the DWI's findings. The Pembury treatment works has been under an enforcement notice since last year due to contamination risks.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

House of Commons 40% UK Parliament 40% Pembury water treatment centre 70% David Hinton ×275% Marcus Rink ×280% Tunbridge Wells ×280% Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) ×285% Kent ×290% South East Water ×390%

Keywords

water failure 100% water treatment 80% drinking water 70% south east water 70% water quality 60% drinking water inspectorate 60% coagulant chemical 50% water supply 50% water contamination 40%