Water supplies to return to Hastings residents by tomorrow - but thousands more homes will 'temporarily' lose supplies

Southern Water customers should finally get their water supplies back by tomorrow morning (Monday, May 6), the company has confirmed. However, about 3,500 more homes will temporarily lose their water supply before this can happen.

The company said it is ‘very sorry’ to have had to take ‘this short-term precautionary measure’, but assures customers it is essential to ensure the local hospital keeps its water supplies.

It comes as residents reach the fourth day of major disruption, following a mains pipe bursting on Thursday (May 2) afternoon.

In a recent update from Southern Water, a spokesperson said: “Customers’ water supplies are gradually being restored in St Leonards and Hastings as we work hard to ensure our water supply works at Beauport consistently pumps treated water into our network.

"This phased return of supplies to homes and businesses will see lower-lying areas and those nearest to Beauport coming back into supply first, with the remainder following as pressure increases in the pipes between now and tomorrow morning.

"Specifically, west and central areas of St Leonards-on-Sea, west Hastings and rural areas around Westfield should see supplies return gradually during the rest of Sunday.

"However it will take longer for areas north of Hollington and east Hastings and rural areas east of Hastings to return to supply; we expect these to have supply from Monday morning.

"To preserve supply to the part of Hastings including the hospital as we fully recharge the network, around 3,500 homes in the east of the town will lose supply temporarily from this afternoon.”

“We expect customers’ supplies in these additional areas to return tomorrow, along with the rest of the network."

"We are very sorry that we have had to take this short-term precautionary measure, which is essential to ensure the hospital remains in supply.”