Council leader hits out at South East Water after days of disruption

It is just not good enough.

That’s the message from Leader of the Council Cllr Alan Baldock in an open letter to South East Water Chief Executive David Hinton after days of no water for hundreds of people in parts of the district.

Cllr Alan Baldock tells Mr Hinton that the disruption has seriously disrupted the lives of hardworking families, put the vulnerable at serious risk of harm, sparked serious concerns for the health of animals and livestock and deeply damaged the businesses affected at a time when they need help not hindrance.

It asks the water company to outline how people can claim compensation and asks for it to pay for increased recycling collections caused by huge volumes of empty plastic water bottles.

The letter says:

David Hinton
Chief Executive Officer
South East Water
Rochford Road
Snodland
ME6 5AH

Dear Mr Hinton

Yet more disruption to water supplies in our district

For the third time this year, twice privately and this time openly, we have felt compelled to write to you to express our deep disgust and frustration at prolonged disruption to water supplies in our district.

The disruption does not seem be confined to one area or one season.  

Canterbury and Herne Bay suffered in the freezing winter months. Herne Bay, Dargate, Yorkletts and Seasalter have suffered during the hottest days of the year.

At a time when water bills are going through the roof, we should not have to point out that having no water:

• seriously disrupts the lives of hardworking families
• puts the vulnerable at serious risk of harm
• sparks serious concerns for the health of animals and livestock
• deeply damages the businesses affected at a time when they need help not hindrance

We have even been forced to close our public toilets in Faversham Road, Seasalter, because there is no water and keeping them open is a public health hazard.

Everyone is forced to pay extra – whether buying their own bottled water or using their own fuel and time to drive to and queue at bottled water stations.

We believe in protecting the planet. So we are committed to recycling all of the plastic bottles that will need to be disposed of because of South East Water’s failure.

But that will cost the council taxpayer for extra recycling crews and the hire of extra refuse collection vehicles.

We have also supplied residents with clear sacks to help them recycle.

We call on you to foot that bill – where should we send the invoice?

Yet again, despite previous promises, in the early days of this incident you did not pick up the phone to keep us updated on the latest situation.

You know, because we’ve made the point repeatedly in our previous correspondence, our officers and councillors are always on hand to advise you on the best locations for bottled water stations.  

Your choice created jams at the Altira Park in Herne Bay.  

Your choice caused queues and saw patients unable to access the Estuary View Medical Centre which includes an urgent treatment centre. Liaising with doctors there would have been a huge help.

Your choice of Sainsbury’s in Chestfield was a huge distance from Dargate, Yorkletts and Seasalter, especially if you do not drive.  

A second bottled water station was needed. We are glad you, eventually, heeded our advice. But it should not have taken so long.

This is simply not good enough and your organisation needs to do much better.

Please let us know how you intend to do so and how you will adequately, and quickly, compensate residents and business owners for an extremely poor service. Along with an apology and an action plan, it is the very least they deserve.

I have to say, you made a number of promises in previous correspondence which, again, you have failed to live up to and I find that very disappointing.

We will be writing to the water regulator Ofwat and the Minister of State for Water and Flooding Emma Hardy calling on them to take all appropriate action against South East Water to make sure this does not happen again.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely
Cllr Alan Baldock
Leader
Canterbury City Council

Published: 7 July 2025