Hastings water main repaired but supplies may take hours to return

A spokesman for the company said the network is now being recharged and residents may have to wait a few hours for water to return to normal.

Early on Monday morning (April 27), Richard Parker-Harding, the head of environmental health at Rother and Wealden Councils, said the supply of water from Darwell reservoir to the Baldslow treatment plant in Hastings failed.

This meant water supplies to Battle (south), Brede, Broad Oak, Crowhurst, Guestling, Sedlescombe (South), and Westfield were affected.

The Hastings network of drinking water has also been impacted.

Southern Water said customers in the TN31, TN33, TN34, TN35, TN37 and TN38 areas would lose their water supply.

However, in an update at 2.40pm, Southern Water said: “Repairs to the burst water main in the Hastings area are complete, and we are now recharging the network. This will take a few hours as it is a very large pipe and supplies raw water into our water treatment site which then pumps treated water through the network to customers’ homes.

“Vulnerable customers remain a priority and we ask anyone without water and in urgent need to contact us, and remind customers to follow government advice and stay at home during the lockdown.

“Again, if you feel as though you should be part of the priority services register and aren’t already, please contact our hotline on 0330 303 0277. During the Covid crisis you can call on behalf of a close relative.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank our key workers who have worked tirelessly to secure this essential service during lockdown.”

For more on this incident:

‘Major incident’ as Hastings water supply stopped due to reservoir fault

Major Hastings water main burst: Vulnerable residents to be delivered bottled water

Major water mains incident near Hastings: latest updates and advice to residents

Major incident near Hastings: Residents in these six postcodes will lose water supply