Ofwat to investigate South East Water: Are you owed compensation?

The water regulator Ofwat has opened an enforcement case into South East Water following a period of chaos that has left tens of thousands of homes across Kent and Sussex without running water. The investigation comes as a "major incident" was declared in the region earlier this week, with schools forced to close and bottled water stations set up to support local residents.

Ofwat has stated that the probe will focus on whether the company failed to look after its customers properly during the repeated outages, describing the last six weeks as "miserable" for those affected. This is the second major supply failure for the company in two months, following a similar crisis in Tunbridge Wells in November and December 2025.

What is happening?

South East Water has struggled to maintain supplies following a combination of severe weather events. The company blamed the recent outages on Storm Goretti, which hit the UK last week, followed by a 'freeze-thaw' event where rapid temperature changes caused ground movement and burst pipes.

The scale of the disruption has been significant and is summarised below:

• Major incident declared -  A major incident was declared in Kent and Sussex this week as the number of properties without water rose to over 30,000.
• Ongoing disruption - As of Friday morning, around 7,000 customers remained without a reliable water supply, despite efforts to fix leaks and use tankers to pump water into the network.
• Repeated failures - The latest water supply failures follow a sustained outage in Tunbridge Wells late last year, leaving 24,000 properties without drinkable water for almost two weeks.

It has been an incredibly frustrating week for those affected and it is a frustration that I share. I live in the affected area and have had no water or very low water pressure for over a week. When I have had water, it is discoloured, and the pressure is so low that it does not reach upstairs. With two teenagers in the house, it has been incredibly difficult. We've had to visit water stations just to do the basics, like flushing toilets, and we've had to rely on family and friends to use a shower and do our laundry.

This experience is echoed by thousands of others across the region, prompting Ofwat to step in. Lynn Parker, Ofwat’s Senior Director for Enforcement, said: "The last six weeks have been miserable for businesses and households across Kent and Sussex with repeated supply problems. We know that this has had a huge impact on all parts of daily life and hurt businesses, particularly in the run up to the festive period. That is why we need to investigate and to determine whether the company has breached its licence condition".

What is Ofwat investigating?

Ofwat is looking specifically at whether South East Water breached its customer-focused licence condition. This rule requires water companies to provide appropriate support when things go wrong. The regulator will examine whether South East Water did enough to help vulnerable customers, communicate effectively, and provide alternative water supplies (such as bottled water stations) efficiently. This is separate from an existing investigation that Ofwat is already conducting into South East Water's operational resilience - essentially, whether their pipes and infrastructure are up to scratch.

Am I entitled to compensation?

If you have been affected by the outages, you may be entitled to compensation under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS). Crucially, new rules came into force in July 2025 that significantly increased the compensation payments for water failures:

• Supply Interruption - If your water supply is cut off for more than 12 hours, you are typically entitled to £50. You are usually entitled to a further £50 for each additional 12-hour period the water remains off. For planned outages, your water company must give you at least 48 hours' written notice. If they fail to give this notice, or if the water is not back on by the time stated, you are entitled to £50.
• Low Pressure - If you suffer from persistent low water pressure (falling below 7 metres of static head for an hour or more on two separate occasions in 28 days), you could be eligible for a payment of up to £250 under the new uplifted rules.
• Water quality - If you are issued a 'boil water' or 'do not drink' notice and your supply is not restored within 48 hours, you are entitled to £40, plus £20 for each additional 24-hour period the notice is in place.
• Priority customers - If you are on the 'Core Priority Services Register' and your water company fails to comply with services agreed upon in response to an incident, then you are entitled to £100 compensation.
• Appointments - If the water company fails to keep an appointment, you may be entitled to £20-£50, depending on the specific circumstances.

How do I get paid?

Under the GSS, payments should be automatic. You typically do not need to apply; the money should be credited to your water account within 20 working days. If they fail to pay you on time, you may be entitled to an extra penalty payment of £40.

It is worth noting that water companies will sometimes claim exemptions for 'exceptional weather'. However, given that South East Water is already being investigated for how it has handled the incident, Ofwat will likely keep a very close eye on it to ensure compensation is paid fairly.