14/01/26

The latest update from Southern Water:

All our customers remain in supply, and taps are flowing as normal. 

We’re now in an improving position and producing more water than we need to meet demand, which is allowing us to fill our reservoirs. It has also allowed us to export additional water to South East Water, given the very significant challenges they are facing.  

This additional export does impact how quickly we can build up resilience within our own network, but we are very keen to do as much as we can to support them and their customers while balancing our own needs. 

It will take us some time to get to a position where we have enough resilience to stand down our alternative response, and want to reassure our customers that if we were to have a problem that would put their supply at risk, we are ready. 

What happens if there is a site outage? 

In the event of any problems with any of our water production sites, we will attempt to move water around our network to mitigate the likelihood of customer impact, but we will notify customers at the earliest possible opportunity so they can prepare if the situation does deteriorate. 

Bottled water deliveries and stations remain on standby in case we need them, and we can begin deliveries or set up stations very quickly. 

If you are concerned about a vulnerable customer who would need access to bottled water as a priority, they can call us on 0330 303 0368.   

Customer communication 

We posted an update on our dedicated Kent water supply webpage yesterday evening and will post a further update on that page very soon.   

If you have any questions, please let us know. Unless there are any significant changes, we will send the next update tomorrow morning. 

12/01/2026

Southern Water – potential water supply issues for customers supplied by our Cromers Wood Reservoir, Sittingbourne

Our water supply sites across Thanet have had no major issues overnight, which is helping to keep Cromer’s Wood Reservoir in Sittingbourne topped up.

Customers have not yet been affected by Saturday’s UKPN power outage and remain in supply as normal.

We’ve also completed the precautionary bottled water to customers on our Priority Services Register across Sittingbourne. Deliveries took place in Sittingbourne, Iwade, Borden, Bobbing, Kemsley, Tunstall, Rodmersham, Lower Halstow and Bapchild.

We’re constantly assessing the situation, with high water demand across Kent and the knock on effects of the recent weather we’ve experienced. We will keep you updated with any developments.

09/06/2025

We have received the following update from Southern Water:

"In a bid to find the leak the decision has been taken to set up traffic management on Ferry Road on Monday (9 June), excavate and begin investigations with the following day also earmarked for investigations. The plan is to backfill, reinstate and clear the traffic management the following day (Wednesday 11 June).

The team appreciate this will be disruptive but hopefully it’ll produce a positive outcome. I’ll update you when I know more."

The Parish Council will pass on information when this is received. 

 

24/04/2025

Southern Water carried out an investigation on their 18-inch water main in September 2024, but they found no leaks on this pipework.

As the water leak was still present and KCC are responsible for ensuring Highway safety they installed perforated pipework to drain the water to the closest drain. At first this solution appeared to have worked but water started to make its way back through the tarmac and is constantly leaking again.

The Parish Council asked for an independent water test to be carried out with a comparator sample. Southern Water provided the test results, which showed the water sample taken looks similar to the tap water sample, and it contained chlorine anions. Southern Water provided the following update on their investigations:

"Further investigations are ongoing, but our process scientist has reviewed two sets of results and (one from a tap and one from the puddle of water) and it is possibly the same source of water. This could indicate a leak on our smaller 3-inch main, instead of the 18-inch main.

Leakage detection develops all the time and we now have access to new detection kit, which we are vey keen to try in Iwade in the coming weeks.

Residents may notice an increased presence in the area over the next few weeks. As part of our checks, we will be shutting off the water for approximately 30 properties for three hours. A date for this hasn’t been confirmed yet, but once it has, we will make those properties aware with advance notification."

14/08/2024

Update from Southern Water regarding upcoming repair works in Ferry Road:

KCC will inform the bus companies, there should be an alternative route in place.  Southern Water will provide a diversion route for all vehicles to adhere too.

There will be limited vehicle access for the residents opposite to the Village Hall but we will make every effort to maintain access to their properties.

 

24/07/2024

Update regarding water leaks in Ferry Road:

Southern Water have now found two leaks on their water supply near the Village Hall. Unfortunately, a road closure is required for four weeks to allow Southern Water to complete the repairs safely for the community and their workers.

Although council members pushed as hard as possible and explored every avenue available, we could not get the works completed during school holidays, so the works will commence on 9th September.  

We appreciate this road closure is not ideal but look forward to this issue being resolved at last.

01/03/2024

Iwade Parish Council held a meeting with Southern Water and KCC regarding water leaks in the village and can provide the following update:

Ferry Road Leak:

KCC Highways advised they are going to install 44 meters of perforated pipework to take the water leak to the nearest drain in Ferry Road. They are hopeful this work can be completed by the end of March but do not have an agreed date at present. When the work commences it will take 5 to 6 days to complete. During the work access to the village hall will be restricted to one gate for entrance and egress.

KCC advised the leak could be a natural spring, but has doubts due to a water sample they took during the icy weather testing positive for chlorine.

It was agreed that both KCC and Southern Water representatives will take a water sample from the leak in Ferry Road at the same time to test for chlorine in two different independent laboratories. They will also take a sample from the domestic water supply nearby for comparison.

To investigate the cause of the leak, Highways are planning to dig a hole 1.5meters deep in the road and a grass verge to find out if the leak is localized to the area.

The Parish Council asked KCC and Southern Water to investigate the subsidence in the road outside Helen Thompson Close, which has subsided several times.

The Parish Council raised concerns regarding subsidence in Ferry Road due to the ongoing leak for 2 years and whether a sink hole could appear. KCC advised there is no evidence to suggest the leak has caused any subsidence and testing and action will only be taken if any problems occur.

Southern Water have been carrying out drive by acoustic testing during the last 2-3 weeks and have not picked up any leaks in the area.

School Lane Leak:

The leak is coming from a cable TV manhole cover. A chlorine test carried out on a handheld device was previously taken by Southern Water which did not show chlorine in the water. Southern Water will have a water sample tested in a laboratory to confirm if chlorine is present in the water. If the test is negative, KCC will contact the cable TV company to let them know there is a problem that needs to be addressed.