Water restored to 25,000 properties after East Sussex main burst

Water supplies have been restored to more than 25,000 properties in East Sussex after a main burst three days ago.

Southern Water said in an update on Monday afternoon that customers’ supplies had resumed in St Leonards-on-Sea and Hastings.

However, 7,500 properties are still without water, though supplies to about 6,000 are expected to be restored by the evening.

A spokesperson for Southern Water added: “Around 1,500 properties in parts of St Helen’s and St Helen’s Wood, which are normally served by the Fairlight reservoir, are unlikely to see supply restored until tomorrow morning or lunchtime.

“This is because the reservoir is not yet sufficiently stocked to meet the demand.

“As areas are being brought back onto supply, Southern Water is redeploying its fleet of 24 tankers to support those areas still without supply.

“Our bottled water stations will remain open from 8am-9pm and we will continue to deliver bottled water to customers on our Priority Services Register until everyone is confirmed back in supply.”

They said that “efforts are underway to ensure supplies to enable all primary and secondary schools and colleges in the area to open as normal tomorrow”.

Sean Duggan, 64, who lives in St Leonards, told the Standard: “I have just come back from Kolkata where people in the slums don’t have access to clean water - but you don’t expect it here.

Like many people I had to fill buckets in the sea to flush the toilets and carry heavy bottles of water up four sets of stairs. It was hardest for the elderly and disabled, but so many people rallied round to help them, it’s that type of community.

“I had my first shower in four days this morning and it was bliss!”

Four water bottle stations have been set up and Southern Water is delivering bottled supplies to more than 6,000 customers on its priority services register.

The burst was repaired on Saturday, but the service has to be “restarted”, Southern Water said.

Schools, a leisure centre and a theatre in the area were forced to close.

East Sussex county councillor Godfrey Daniel said the impact on businesses in Hastings will be “drastic”.

He added that one hotel in Hastings had resorted to flushing toilets with sea water.

Southern Water opened water bottle stations at Asda and Tesco in St Leonards-on-Sea, and Sea Road and Hastings Academy in Hastings.

The burst main is in Keeper’s Wood, near the A21, “deep in woodland”, which made it difficult for crews and machinery to reach it.

Summerfields Leisure Centre posted on Facebook saying it was still closed on Sunday morning, “until the situation changes”.

The White Rock Theatre was closed on Friday due to the water supply issue.

Churchwood Primary Academy and St Paul’s Church of England Academy in St Leonards were also closed on Friday.