South East Water customer left with hole in bathroom ceiling due to water damage as supply returns
A man from West Sussex has been left with a hole in his bathroom ceiling due to water damage after the supply returned to his property.
Mark Amos, from Pease Pottage, was among 15,000 South East Water customers across Kent and Sussex left without water this week after frozen pipes thawed and cracked.
Water came pouring through his bathroom ceiling on Friday, December 23, once his water supply returned.
Mark described the lack of water in the run up to Christmas as "totally unacceptable".
Douglas Whitfield, Incident Director at South East Water, said: "Internal plumbing should be designed to withstand fluctuating water pressures so we are sorry to hear of bursts as water returns.
"Although compensation for loss of supply will be assessed after we have stabilised the network, we are unable to compensate for internal plumbing issues within customer homes.
"However, if a plumber advises that a problem was caused directly as a result of the supply issues, customer can forward a copy of the plumber’s report to us and we will review this."
Supplies have been restored to the majority of customers in time for Christmas.
The company said it is "continuing to investigate and repair leaks in the Staplehurst area of Kent and a couple in Tunbridge Wells".
Customers are being urged to "use water wisely" to help maintain supplies.
Engineers are also investigating a burst, unrelated to the weather, which is causing low pressure and no water to customers in the Crawley Down, Turners Hill and Selsfield areas.
South East Water says repairs are being undertaken on Saturday, December 24.
Bottled water stations in Pembury and Crowborough are open between 9.30am and 4pm on Christmas Eve, as a precaution, at the following locations:
Tesco Superstore, Woodsgate Corner, Pembury, TN2 4NE
Crowborough Beacon Academy, N Beeches Rd, Crowborough TN6 2AS
Douglas Whitfield, Incident Director at South East Water, added: "We know that those who have been without water due to the bursts were off for an unacceptable period and we understand the concern this has caused, particularly in the run up to Christmas, and are sorry to all customers who have been affected.
"The network is continuing to stabilise and once that’s complete we will write to customers very soon regarding compensation. Customers do not need to contact us."
Southern Water customers in Hampshire were also left without water this week due to burst pipes caused by the rapid changes in temperature.
Customers in Southampton, Eastleigh, Hedge End, and Chandlers Ford were affected.
Bottled water stations were set up in Winchester, Eastleigh, and Southampton to help customers that had been affected by either a loss of water, or low pressure.
Supplies were returned to Southern Water customers on Friday, December 23.