South East Water reported on 17 January 2026 that water had returned overnight to the 6,500 affected properties in the Tunbridge Wells area, following a supply interruption it describes as a new issue caused by recent pipe bursts. The company states the incident is not related to the previous boil water notice and that the water currently in the system remains safe to use as normal1.
Some customers may see low pressure as water levels continue to build through the area's pipeline network this morning, and tankers are still being used to inject water into storage tanks across Kent to finalise balancing the network over the coming days. The company says its leak repair teams are working around the clock to fix leaks and bursts across Kent and Sussex, with extra resources available for repairs1.
On discoloured water, South East Water says the colour comes from naturally occurring iron and manganese deposits in its pipes, which it describes as harmless but which can be stirred up when water pressure changes. Its advice is to run the cold kitchen tap until it runs clear, after which the water can be used for drinking, washing and cooking as normal1.
The earlier boil water notice for Tunbridge Wells and surrounding areas has been lifted with immediate effect, and the company says tap water no longer needs to be boiled before use. It states that treatment processes were changed to meet strict standards and the network was flushed1. On that notice, the company said:
"While the boil water notice has been in place, the water has been chemically safe. Our comprehensive water sampling to date has shown no bacteria has been detected in your area."
The company has also published figures for its response to the earlier incident. It says it tankered more than 37 million litres of water into the network since Friday 28 November and handed out more than 1.9 million litres of bottled water through bottled water stations and deliveries to customers on its Priority Services Register (PSR). At the height of the incident it had 36 tankers deployed, and its teams made more than 28,000 deliveries of bottled water to around 3,000 customers on the PSR. It also delivered 82,656 litres of water to community hubs, Age Concern and the Salvation Army1.
| Item | Figure reported by South East Water1 |
|---|---|
| Properties affected in the Tunbridge Wells area | 6,500 |
| Water tankered into the network since 28 November | More than 37 million litres |
| Bottled water handed out | More than 1.9 million litres |
| Bottled water deliveries to PSR customers | More than 28,000, to around 3,000 customers |
| Tankers deployed at the height of the incident | 36 |
| Water delivered to community hubs, Age Concern and the Salvation Army | 82,656 litres |
Why it matters for households
The 6,500 properties in the Tunbridge Wells area had lost supply or seen low pressure during the incident, and the company says supplies have now returned, with low pressure possible as the network refills. Households that stored water during the earlier boil notice are asked by the company to dispose of it, either onto a garden or into a drain. It also advises running taps and showers for a few minutes if they have been away or unused, because water may remain in the pipes from when the boil notice was in place; it says this is not needed where taps and showers have been used regularly. It asks customers to check with neighbours that they know tap water is safe to drink and no longer needs boiling1.
The company's guidance for the end of the boil notice also covers appliances and stored water. It advises changing water filters now the notice is lifted, cleaning water machines and replacing filters according to the manufacturer's instructions before use, and disposing of any ice cubes made with unboiled water since the notice was issued at midday on Wednesday 3 December 2025. Any facility that stored water during the incident, or has storage tanks, should dispose of stored water onto a garden or into a drain and drain and refill storage tanks1.
On compensation, South East Water says all affected accounts have been updated and customers should have received notification by email or post. Household customers receive compensation automatically as an account credit and do not need to contact the company; business customers are compensated through their water retailer. The company says it is waiving the usual cap of two years' worth of water charges, and that its total package of compensation to businesses is up to £2.5 million, including a separate fund for businesses that faced specific financial losses, to be managed independently1.
For households dealing with an interruption, the site's guides cover how long restoration can take, a supply interruption checklist, bottled supplies, tankers and bowsers from your water company and what to do if you get a boil water notice. The water hub lists the full set.
What happens next
South East Water says tankers will continue injecting water into storage tanks across Kent to finalise balancing the network over the coming days, and that leak repair teams are working around the clock on leaks and bursts across Kent and Sussex1. The company says it is planning further improvements at the Pembury site by installing more filters, and will undertake a full independent review of what happened and how it responded, with an action plan to follow. It also says it will use customer comments to improve communications, including clarity around the postcodes affected by a boil water notice1. The company has published a separate page on a further planned outage in Tunbridge Wells1.
Sources (1)
- Boil water notice for customers in Tunbridge Wells | South East Water, southeastwater.co.uk
When Supply Is Restored
Supply Interruption Checklist
