October 1st 2023.
Residents in Rye, Winchelsea and Camber have been without running water for an extended period of time. This has been caused by a burst water pipe and has been an ongoing issue since last week. Southern Water has apologised for the disruption and distress it has caused, and has been supplying households with bottled water.
For many businesses in the area, this has had a severe impact on their operations. Madeleine Spanswick, of the Owl Hotel in Camber, spoke to the BBC and said, “We can't open with no water. Not having any warning didn't help us at all. We just woke up with no water.” She went on to say how it has affected her staff’s wages.
Southern Water has identified the issue as an unknown leak off Udimore Reservoir, which was discovered on Sunday. It has been working to get emergency water supplies to vulnerable residents, and has set up water stations at Rye station and Western car park in Camber. However, there are still those in the community who have no running water and are relying on bottled water for the coming days.
Steve Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Environment Secretary, commented on the situation, saying that it is “shambolic” and that Southern Water needs to “grow a backbone and get a grip”. He also noted how the government and local MP have been “missing in action” and that the water industry is “broken, working in the interest of fat-cat bosses and shareholders, not consumers.”
It is clear that this issue has caused a great deal of distress for members of the community, and residents are hoping that it can be resolved as soon as possible. Southern Water is working hard to restore the water supplies, and has set up emergency water supplies and bottle stations to help people in the meantime.
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