Water supply issues in East Sussex

Parts of East Sussex are currently experiencing significant water supply problems, with residents in Eastbourne and the village of Upper Dicker facing low pressure or no water at all.

Key Details

• Affected Areas: While issues are reported in Eastbourne, the most severe problems are around East Grinstead
  , where approximately 16,500 homes are without normal supply. Other parts of Sussex and Kent are also impacted.
• Cause of Disruption: The issues stem from multiple problems across the water network. In East Grinstead
   
• Storm Goretti affected the ability of a main water treatment works to treat raw water at the normal rate. This, combined with burst water mains due to recent freeze/thaw conditions, exhausted local drinking water storage. In Eastbourne, the problems are attributed to "essential network changes".
• Water Companies Involved: The primary supplier for the affected areas in Sussex is South East Water (SEW). Southern Water is a separate utility provider, which also manages water supply issues in other parts of the region.
• Current Status: Supplies are not expected to return to normal immediately. Residents in East Grinstead were told supplies would not normalise until at least the end of the weekend (January 11-12, 2026), and those in Eastbourne and other areas are facing ongoing disruption. 

Support and Guidance

• Bottled Water Stations: Bottled water stations have been set up in affected areas. Residents should check the respective water company websites (South East Water or Southern Water) for the latest locations and opening times.
• Priority Customers: Bottled water is being delivered to customers on the priority services register.
• Drought Status: The Environment Agency had previously declared parts of Sussex to be in an official drought as of late 2025, which means general water use restrictions (Temporary Use Bans, or hosepipe bans) were already in place. However, the current immediate issues are specifically related to infrastructure failures and treatment problems, not the long-term drought conditions themselves. 

Residents are advised to check the live updates section of their water provider's website for the most accurate and current information on their specific area.