![\"Chaos](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SEI_276240599-f975.jpg\")
\n\t\tTunbridge Wells residents collect bottled water from a designated centre as a water outage has left tens of thousands without supply (Picture: UKNIP)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tTunbridge Wells residents collect bottled water from a designated centre as a water outage has left tens of thousands without supply (Picture: UKNIP)<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands of people were left with either no running water or low pressure after a water shortage gripped a town.<\/p>\n
South East Water apologised for the situation which has affected some 24,000 people living in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.<\/p>\n
It said that supply had been interrupted due to a water treatment plant having to shut down, leaving drinking water stocks<\/a> running low.<\/p>\n A bottled water station set up at Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre quickly ran out this morning as concerned locals raced for supplies. It was forced to temporarily close to replenish stocks.<\/p>\n Another centre set up at Sovereign Way has since closed due to the winter festival due to take place in the town, with a replacement being currently being looked for.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSign up for all of the latest stories\t\t\t<\/p>\n Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates<\/a><\/strong> newsletter or get Breaking News<\/a> <\/strong>alerts the moment it happens. <\/p>\n Around 1,700 priority customers who are unable to collect water in person will have bottles delivered to their homes, South West Water confirmed.<\/p>\n The water board estimated it would take until at least 6am on Sunday for supply to resume to all customers in the area.<\/p>\n Frustrated residents complained about the disruption as well as chaos at bottled water centres, where some people reported waiting hours to pick up packs.<\/p>\n \t\t One wrote on Facebook<\/a>: \u2018My son waited at the water bottle station in Tonbridge for 2 hours this morning, along with many others. <\/p>\n \u2018The lorry full of bottled water is there with another full lorry waiting down the road. They aren\u2019t allowed to unload the water\u00a0as there has to be a rep from SE Water there! Disgusting.\u2019<\/p>\n Mother-of-two Nicola Hodgson from nearby Pantilles said her husband hadunsuccessfully tried to get water supplies at the sports centre this morning.<\/p>\n \u2018We have two young children, aged five and seven, so [they] have decamped to their grandmothers for the moment, so we can get them something to drink and have working toilets\u2019, she told the BBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Local businesses reported being forced to close over the weekend due to the ongoing outage.<\/p>\n Indian takeaway Spice Fusion told its customers: \u2018Please note that Spice Fusion will remain closed tonight due to a water interruption in Tunbridge Wells which makes it impossible for us to operate safely and maintain our hygiene standards.<\/p>\n \u2018We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.<\/p>\n \u2018We will reopen as soon as the water supply is restored.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t Eating establishments are unable to open by law without working toilets, including takeaways which must have them available for staff.<\/p>\n Teresa Barrett, the landlady of the Black Horse, said she had no choice but to close today as her pub had been without water since midnight.<\/p>\n She added that she \u2018couldn\u2019t afford\u2019 to be closed given the current trading environment and said that hospitality was losing an \u2018extreme amount of money\u2019 due to the disruption.<\/p>\n South East Water said in a statement earlier today: \u2018We\u2019re sorry to customers in the Tunbridge Wells area who continue to have no water or low pressure. This is due to an issue at our Pembury Water Treatment Works, resulting in the site shutting down. <\/p>\n \u2018This has caused the dependent local drinking water storage tanks to run low. \u2018<\/p>\n It added: \u2018Our customer care team has been delivering bottles of water to all customers on our Priority Services Register who have indicated to us that they would be unable to collect water from a bottled water station.\u00a0\u2018<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n For more stories like this, <\/strong>check our news page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Chaos](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SEI_276248232-ae66.jpg\")
\n\t\tLocals queue up for bottled water. South East Water said it hoped to resume supply to all customers in the area by 6am tomorrow. (Picture: UKNIP)<\/p>\n![\"Chaos](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/SEI_276242528-2dad.jpg\")
\n\t\tFamilies are relying on emergency bottle supplies (Picture: UKNIP)<\/p>\n
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