Bottled water to be delivered to Eastbourne households amid burst water main

South East Water is delivering bottled water directly to affected households following a burst water main on Kirkstall Close in Eastbourne.

Current Situation & Disruption

The burst main, which occurred on the morning of Thursday, 27 August 2026, has heavily disrupted local utility networks. 

• Affected Areas: Properties between Hampden Park and Willingdon, notably around Maywood Avenue and Croxden Way, are reporting water outages or low water pressure. 
• Immediate Disruption: While technicians have worked to reroute supply and minimise widespread loss, a formal footpath closure is required at Kirkstall Close for excavation. At least six properties directly adjacent to the burst are experiencing a complete loss of water or low pressure during the maintenance. 

Bottled Water Distribution

South East Water has initiated a mobile emergency response to provide clean drinking water while repairs are ongoing: 

• Direct Deliveries: Bottled water deliveries are being systematically dispatched to residents within the immediate impact zone.
• Vulnerable Residents: Deliveries are automatically prioritised for vulnerable residents registered on the Priority Services Register (PSR). Residents with medical needs, young families, or mobility issues who are not yet registered can request immediate home delivery assistance by calling the company at 0333 000 0002. 

South East Water has issued an apology for the disruption and stated that their engineering teams are working as quickly as possible to fix the pipe and completely restore network pressure