Water Crisis Leaves Horley Residents Without Support
Sunday’s Outage Caught Horley Residents Off Guard
What started as an ordinary Sunday morning in Horley quickly turned problematic for thousands of residents when a power failure at SES Water’s Bough Beech Water Treatment Works left the area without running water. The disruption, which struck around 9:30 AM, affected Gatwick Airport and large swathes of the Horley neighbourhood, leaving residents unable to complete basic household tasks. Local resident Alan Boughen described the impact: water pressure dropped to such severely low levels that showering and washing dishes became impossible. For many of us juggling work, family commitments, and maintaining our homes—whether we’re dealing with something as routine as daily chores or longer-term projects like planning a loft conversion with specialists such as Guilford builders—sudden utility failures create genuine hardship. The outage lasted several hours, and it wasn’t simply an inconvenience; for elderly neighbours and vulnerable households throughout Horley’s residential streets, the lack of water posed serious risks. Many depend on consistent water supply for medication, hygiene, and basic living standards that those of us fortunate enough to avoid disruption often take for granted.
Vulnerable Residents Left Without Help When They Needed It Most
What has sparked particular concern among Horley residents and MP Chris Coghlan is how SES Water handled support for the most vulnerable members of our community during the crisis. The company maintains a Priority Services Register—a system specifically designed to identify and assist residents who face greatest difficulty during emergencies, including elderly people, those with disabilities, and families with young children. According to reports reaching Coghlan’s office, many registered vulnerable residents never received notification about bottled water deliveries that SES Water claimed to arrange. One resident spent hours attempting to reach customer support only to be disconnected mid-call, leaving them without guidance or assistance. The MP has formally written to SES Water demanding transparency about how the company identified those in need, whether Priority Services Register customers were successfully contacted, and whether emergency contingency procedures actually functioned as intended. These are questions every Horley resident should care about, because any of us could face vulnerability during a crisis. The breakdown in communication reveals gaps in a system that exists precisely to protect those least able to cope with disruption.
Community Steps In Where Services Fall Short
In the face of institutional failure, Horley’s residential community demonstrated the neighbourly spirit that makes local areas worth living in. When elderly and vulnerable residents found themselves without water and without promised support, neighbours didn’t wait for bureaucratic solutions—they took action themselves. Alan Boughen and others throughout affected streets organized impromptu bottled water distributions, checking on vulnerable neighbours and ensuring no one was left without basic supplies. This grassroots response highlights what matters most about community: when systems fail, we have each other. Yet this shouldn’t be necessary. SES Water says it’s reviewing its response and wants to provide better service when power outages affect the network. Horley residents deserve that commitment translated into concrete improvements—better communication systems, clearer protocols for vulnerable customer contact, and contingency plans that actually work. Local builders and tradespeople throughout Horley, from established firms handling loft refurbishment projects to small family businesses, also depend on reliable utilities. Watch for SES Water’s formal response to the MP’s questions. Meanwhile, if you’re on the Priority Services Register, consider verifying your contact information is current. For the rest of us, this serves as reminder that community resilience matters as much as infrastructure reliability.
Source: Horley MP Chris Coghlan seeks answers after SES Water outage
