South East Water launches dedicated emergency support for livestock owners during a supply outages

South East Water has today (Thursday, 9 July) launched a major new emergency support system to protect livestock and give farmers in its supply area a vital safety net during unplanned water outages.

The new framework outlines a rapid, structured deployment of emergency water supplies specifically tailored to the needs of local livestock handlers across parts of Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent.

The livestock register has been developed following lessons learned from previous water supply interruptions and feedback from livestock owners that water outages pose an immediate threat to animal welfare and farm livelihoods.

The plan ensures that critical support is on the ground within 48 hours of an outage, with emergency teams prioritising areas facing the highest animal welfare risks. 

For livestock owners who have six or more animals, the drinking water company will deliver direct water support tailored to the setup of the farm. Depending on the individual needs, the business will use reasonable endeavours provide water through either emergency bottled water for young or vulnerable stock, mobile bowsers*, strategically placed static tanks, and direct bulk tanker deliveries straight into on-farm storage tanks. 

For smallholders, with five or fewer animals, during a water outage, the drinking water company will set up filling points as close to the affected area as possible to provide quick, easy access to bulk and bottled water for self-collection. This enables smallholders to easily fill storage units such as water bowsers. 

Douglas Whitfield, Water Supply Director at South East Water, said: "We know we need to make improvements and we're committed to doing things better. We recognise that disruptions to the water supply present a direct threat to livestock welfare and agricultural livelihoods.

"Following lessons learned and feedback from previous incidents, this new approach gives our local farming community the support they need when unexpected disruptions happen."

Although South East Water is providing this emergency support, it is still encouraging anyone with livestock to have their own contingency plans in place such as on-farm water storage. 

Livestock owners in South East Water’s supply areas, from commercial farms to private smallholders, are encouraged to register their details online via South East Water’s website: business.southeastwater.co.uk/livestocksupport