A delivery driver contracted to distribute emergency bottled water in drought-stricken Kent has been caught on camera performing a sham delivery, placing supplies on a doorstep only to immediately snatch them back up and walk away.
Doorbell Footage Reveals Bizarre Incident
The incident was captured by the Ring doorbell of Sam Purslow, a 35-year-old vehicle technician from Tunbridge Wells. Mr Purslow and his family have been without reliable running water for over a week due to ongoing pressure issues at South East Water, a situation affecting tens of thousands of homes across Kent and Sussex.
After receiving a text on Wednesday promising a delivery of bottled water following days of supply problems, the couple woke to find nothing on their doorstep. Checking their doorbell footage from around 1:30 am, they discovered the delivery had indeed occurred—but was swiftly reversed.
The video clearly shows a man delivering four cases of water, taking a photograph as confirmation, then picking all the bottles back up and leaving moments later.
A Week of Hardship for Affected Residents
The water shortages, which South East Water blames on burst pipes and power cuts caused by Storm Goretti, have severely disrupted daily life. Sam Purslow has been forced to drive over an hour out of his way each day just to shower, while also queuing for bottled water for essential household use.
Describing the footage, Mr Purslow said: "I had a little look, and I could see them delivering to our neighbour, taking a photo of it as confirmation, and then taking it to us with another photo confirmation, and then presumably to the rest [of the homes]. It's a bit shocking."
He attributed the driver's "odd behaviour" to "laziness", suggesting that because their home is on a cul-de-sac with a short footpath serving several doors, the driver took a shortcut to avoid walking back and forth.
Regulator Launches Investigation
The incident has emerged as water regulator Ofwat announced a formal investigation into South East Water's handling of the repeated supply failures. Lynn Parker, Ofwat's senior director for enforcement, stated the last six weeks have been "miserable" for households and businesses, causing significant disruption, especially in the festive period.
Ofwat will determine whether the company has breached its licence conditions. In response to the viral footage, a South East Water spokesperson said: "We're very concerned about the stories and videos being shared on social media... We are investigating these claims immediately."
The spokesperson confirmed a third-party company was supporting the large-scale delivery operation and thanked customers for sharing their experiences.
