Calls for the resignation of South East Water's chief executive, David Hinton, have reached a crescendo as communities across Kent and Sussex endure a fifth consecutive day without reliable drinking water. The beleaguered boss, who earns a package worth up to £515,000 annually, is under intense political and public pressure as the scale of the failure becomes clear.
A System in Crisis: Burst Pipes and Mounting Anger
The latest disruption, which began over the weekend, initially left some 30,000 properties facing water outages. By Wednesday, supplies had been restored to 16,000 homes, but 17,000 households remained affected, with areas like Tunbridge Wells and East Grinstead worst hit. The company has blamed a combination of cold weather and Storm Goretti, citing burst pipes and power cuts that drained water storage.
For residents, the reality has been grim. Many have been unable to flush toilets, wash dishes, or shower. Schools, libraries, and local businesses were forced to close. The crisis has stretched vital services to their limits, with hospitals moving appointments online and care homes, such as Stildon in East Grinstead, having to wash vulnerable residents with bottled water. "It has been very difficult because we are a care home and need to wash our residents," a staff member confirmed.
Political and Regulatory Backlash Intensifies
The government's response has been swift. The Prime Minister revealed that ministers have been chairing daily emergency meetings to 'hold the company to account'. Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds has taken the unusual step of asking water regulator Ofwat to review whether South East Water is operating within its licence conditions—a move that could see the firm stripped of its licence.
During Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir Starmer labelled the situation 'clearly totally unacceptable'. The criticism is bipartisan, with Reform UK's Nigel Farage stating, "Dave Hinton has presided over a culture of failure... It's time he took responsibility and resigned." Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for the company's licence to be revoked for 'failing its customers over and over again'.
Local MPs are furious. Mike Martin, the Lib Dem MP for Tunbridge Wells, said the government needed to "grow a pair, and call for him to go," describing the situation as a "shambles."
A Boss Under Fire and a 'Largest Ever' Relief Effort
At the centre of the storm is David Hinton, who has been with the company for over 25 years. His £400,000 base salary, plus a performance bonus of up to £115,000, has drawn sharp criticism amidst the repeated service failures. This crisis emerged just days after he was grilled by MPs over similar failings in December that affected 24,000 properties in Tunbridge Wells for nearly a fortnight.
Despite mounting calls for his dismissal, a South East Water spokesperson said Hinton 'remains committed to resolving the immediate issues'. The company has launched what it calls its 'largest ever operation' to deliver bottled water to the most vulnerable overnight. Bottled water stations saw queues of up to 1,000 cars per hour, as the firm deployed 26 tankers to pump water back into the network.
Public anger is palpable, fuelled by perceived poor communication from the utility. George Sutherland, from East Grinstead, reported people falling ill due to a lack of basic hygiene. "People in the office haven't been able to shower for a week. Everybody is on edge," he said.
With Ofwat already investigating and considering "further action," and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee likely to recall Hinton for more questioning, the pressure on South East Water's leadership shows no sign of abating. For thousands of residents, the wait for a permanent, reliable solution continues.
