UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Southern Water warned that a risk remains that thousands of households in Hastings could face water disruption on Christmas Eve following a burst main.
As reported by BBC journalist Craig Buchan, the water firm said thousands of homes still face a possible Christmas Eve supply disruption, despite good progress in repairing the damaged main.
What did Southern Water say about the potential Christmas Eve water disruption in Hastings?
Southern Water is providing bottled water to nearly 15,000 at-risk households in Hastings and nearby locations as a precautionary measure.
The damaged main was located in a woodland just north of Hastings, East Sussex.
The company has advised locals not to increase water usage or store mains water, saying it could worsen the situation.
Tim McMahon, Southern Water’s managing director for water, said the most likely outcome is that supplies will remain uninterrupted.
He warned of the worst-case scenario, saying the water supply may be interrupted at 8 PM GMT, but would return in time for Christmas morning.
Mr McMahon added,
“We are taking these measures as a precaution against a worst case scenario and impact on supply tomorrow evening. Our teams will fix the burst main as quickly as possible.”
He continued,
“While we work to protect supply to homes and businesses in Hastings, we would ask customers please not to use more water than usual, and not to stockpile mains water, as this will make the situation worse. Thank you for your understanding as we fix the issue.”
Mr McMahon said the firm was implementing precautionary measures after the Hastings water outage in May 2024, which affected over 32,000 properties.
According to him, the company has tankers on standby and is preparing bottled water stations to support the Conquest Hospital and local nursing homes.
He said he was
“very sorry for the concern and anxiety.”
A Southern Water spokesperson stated,
“Our teams have worked hard overnight to expose the pipe and remove the damaged section. Work is now underway to fit a new length of pipe.”
They added,
“Once this is complete, it will then take some time for us to get water flowing through the network and out of our supply works. There is still a risk customers might lose supply this evening.”
What did MP Helena Dollimore say about Hastings’ water supply crisis?
Helena Dollimore, the Labour MP for Hastings, Rye and the Villages, said,
“I’m deeply frustrated that Hastings is once again paying the price for Southern Water’s failures. A burst pipe has left our town with a limited water supply and this means there could be an outage tomorrow. My immediate priority is protecting residents, particularly the most vulnerable, and supporting local businesses at this critical time.”
She added,
“I’ve pressed Southern Water to act fast to open as many water stations as possible, deliver directly to those on the priority services list, and provide extra water to pubs, restaurants and hotels. I will be holding Southern Water to account and asking the questions that need to be asked, but right now my focus is on ensuring everyone has access to the water they need and limiting the impact of this.”
What are local leaders saying about the impact of the burst main on Hastings businesses?
Hastings borough councillor Becca Horn called the idea of a Christmas without water “unthinkable” and expressed hope the situation does not reach that point.
John Bownas from the Hastings Business Improvement District said he had
“a degree of confidence that a lot of people don’t share that this will get sorted.”
He confirmed that the town’s daily activities were continuing as normal while the water supply remained active.
Mr Bownas said the main had burst multiple times in recent years, with just one incident leading to a water outage, while Southern Water’s Mr McMahon confirmed a £50m, three-year pipe replacement project will begin in the new year.
How do water supply mains break?
The major reasons water pipes burst are damage from digging, whether by machines or shovels, and pressure from moving soil or erosion that cracks the pipes.
Some other key factors include freezing and thawing cycles that stress pipes, and sudden pressure surges from valves or hydrants. Over time, pipes can weaken due to natural aging, corrosion of materials like cast iron, and corrosive soils that eat away at the pipe, especially at fittings.
