South East Water Ranked Worst for Supply: What It Means for You
South East Water Lands the Bottom Spot on Supply
If you have spent the past two summers wondering whether the tap will run when you need it, you are not alone. A first joint report from the four regulators overseeing water companies in England and Wales has ranked South East Water as the worst performer in the industry for supply interruptions. The average number of minutes each property went without supply rose sixfold compared with 2024, a jump that matches what many households in Kent and Sussex experienced firsthand.
The figures follow a run of outages across the region in 2025 and 2026 that left as many as 70,000 people without water at various points. For families, that meant rearranging school runs, filling buckets for flushing toilets and planning showers around uncertain timings. For small businesses, from cafés in market towns to independent salons, it meant lost trade and extra costs.
The report is significant because it is the first time the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Ofwat and the Drinking Water Inspectorate have assessed the industry together. Their combined view makes it harder for any company to explain away poor results as a one-off. South East Water’s new chief executive, John Halsall, has acknowledged that past performance did not consistently meet customer expectations. Residents will be watching whether that admission turns into measurable improvement on the ground.
How Southern and Thames Water Compare
Across the wider South East, the picture is mixed. Southern Water, which supplies parts of Sussex and Kent and handles sewerage for most of the region, recorded its strongest-ever performance for minimising supply interruptions. That is a genuine improvement for households who have been caught out before. However, the regulators also flagged a high number of pollution incidents and environmental improvement actions that were not completed on time. Southern Water customers also report the lowest satisfaction levels in the industry, and regulators have said the company must substantially improve how it interacts with them.
Thames Water, which serves parts of Surrey and London, recorded 464 pollution incidents in 2025, including 24 classed as serious. Ofwat has placed the company under further oversight, a step that signals concern about its long-term direction rather than any single failure.
For readers in Guilford and the surrounding Surrey villages, the Thames Water findings matter most, since the environmental record affects local rivers and streams that many residents use for walks and recreation. Tim McMahon, Southern Water’s chief operating officer, has said the company is making progress and that meaningful change will take time. Locals will judge that claim by what they see in their rivers and taps over the coming year, not by promises alone.
What Residents Should Know and Watch Next
There are practical steps households can take now. Keep a supply of bottled or stored water for essentials, especially if you rely on medical equipment or care for young children or elderly relatives. Sign up for alerts from your water company so you hear about planned work and unplanned interruptions quickly. If your home has a water tank or storage system, check it is working properly before the next dry spell.
Hosepipe restrictions have been in place for South East Water customers after the region recorded its driest April to September period in more than a century. Following the rules protects the supply for everyone, and it is worth checking the company’s website for the latest guidance on what is permitted in your garden.
Building projects are also affected. Homeowners planning a loft conversion or loft rebuilding should ask their contractor how their works will be scheduled around possible supply disruptions, since reliable water is needed for mixing materials, cleaning and sanitation on site. Guilford builders and other local firms are already planning around the dry weather, and a short conversation with your builder before work starts can prevent delays.
What to watch next: the independent monitor now overseeing South East Water, the £30.5 million improvement programme ordered in July, and whether the next set of regulator figures shows fewer interruptions. Those results will tell us whether the rebuilding of trust the company is promising is actually happening in our streets.
Source: South East Water worst for supply – how do the rest fare?
