Some households in East Sussex were left without water on Christmas Day after supplier Southern Water encountered problems while attempting to restore supplies following a burst water main.
The company said the disruption was compounded by “very low levels” at Fairlight reservoir, adding that the site had “now reached its final reserves”.
Postcodes affected included TN34, TN35, TN37 and TN38, with customers living at higher elevations more likely to experience low pressure or a complete loss of supply.
Southern Water apologised to residents in Hastings, saying: “We’re sorry customers in Hastings may currently be experiencing low pressure and, in some cases, a temporary loss of water supply. We understand how disruptive this can be, especially at this time of year, and we’re doing everything we can to restore supplies as quickly as possible.”
The supplier said it had received reports of low pressure or intermittent supply from fewer than 100 customers across the town.
The incident follows reports on Tuesday morning of a burst mains pipe in woodland north of Hastings, which engineers had been racing to repair ahead of the Christmas period. A short power outage on Thursday at Brede water supply works then further reduced remaining water levels at Fairlight reservoir.
It is not the first time burst pipes have caused major disruption in the area. In May 2024, residents in Hastings were left without water for four days after a pipe burst that had been identified for replacement as far back as 2007 but was never fixed. Southern Water has previously described multiple pipes in the Hastings area as “aged assets prone to failure”.
To support affected residents, a bottled water station was set up at Pelham Place car park on Carlisle Parade in Hastings and remained open until 10pm on Christmas Day.
Southern Water said it had deployed a fleet of tankers to inject water into both the network and the reservoir, adding: “This process takes time, but we’re already seeing gradual improvements.”
The company said the disruption is expected to be temporary and urged customers who still have water to use it sparingly. “If you do have water, please use it responsibly, as reservoir levels remain low and demand is very high,” it said.
Helena Dollimore, the Labour MP for Hastings and Rye, said she was angry that residents were once again dealing with water supply failures. “I’m angry that Hastings once again is paying the price for the failures of Southern Water,” she said.
“Our town’s water infrastructure is not fit for purpose after years of neglect, and Southern Water must do better. I am pushing Southern Water to get us back in supply as quickly as possible and minimise the impact on residents by supplying bottled water and opening plenty of water stations.”
She added that she had also asked the company to provide additional water to pubs and restaurants during the busy festive period. “Once we are through this incident, Southern Water must get their act together,” she said.
Referring to previous incidents, she added: “After a major five-day water outage last May when the same pipe burst, and an environmental disaster last month when millions of plastic beads escaped their wastewater plant, we cannot endure any more.”
