Water firm apologises after supply problems

South East Water is currently cleaning out the water mains in Bexhill.

But on Monday (May 15), this led to a reduction in water pressure in the Buckhurst Road area, particularly affecting residents living in high rise buildings.

It is not known how many properties were affected, but South East Water did receive ‘a number’ of telephone calls from worried residents.

The disruption started at 2.30pm and the water supply was returned to normal at 6.30pm.

South East Water has apologised for the inconvenience and has said that future cleaning in the area will only take place at night to minimise the risk of further inconvenience.

The firm has been carrying out the cleaning programme in the TN39 3 and TN40 1 postcodes since April 10 as part of ongoing maintenance on the company’s underground mains.

The process, known as flushing, involves directing water through the pipes quickly to draw sediment deposits out of the network.

This is to remove naturally-occurring, harmless deposits which build up over time.

While these deposits are not harmful, they can cause temporary discoloured water.

South East Water’s distribution manager Michael Phillips said: “Flushing our water mains from the start to finish of our network – from our service reservoirs, which store fully treated drinking water, to the point at which it supplies our customers – is a very effective way of cleaning the inside of our water mains.

“Once the water reaches its journey’s end, the flushed water containing these deposits is directed into the drains to be recycled.

“We appreciate customers may have concerns about this water appearing to run to waste, but we only draw through our pipes as much as we need, and stop flushing once we can see the whole system is running crystal clear as usual.

“During the flushing process customers may notice a reduction in water pressure, and possibly some discolouration, but this is temporary and can be solved by running the kitchen tap until the water runs clear.”

More information about the work can be found at southeastwater.co.uk/bexhillsouth