The water regulator plans to fine South East Water £22million for ‘repeated supply failures’, it said today.

Regulator Ofwat said the company had ‘failed to plan sufficiently’ and was therefore ‘unable to cope during periods of high demand or extreme weather.’

It follows an investigation into disruptions between 2020 and 2023, which affected more than 286,000 people.

As a result, customers were left with no tap water, unable to shower or flush their toilets, ‘which caused immense stress and anxiety,’ the watchdog said.

Ofwat also called the water company ‘slow and disorganised’ in its response and ‘has not taken ownership of these issues’.

Chris Walters, interim CEO at Ofwat said: 'South East Water's significant failings caused major disruption and had a huge impact on thousands of its customers. 

'Not only did the company fail in its duty to provide a water supply to meet the demands of its customers, but it also fell short when it came to providing support for customers who lost their supply. They must do better.

‘This investigation gets to the heart of the company's supply resilience problems. We want to see South East Water take more responsibility and get on with fixing things for its customers.’

South East Water said it had recently filed for judicial review and sought an injunction on a recent Ofwat decision. 

A spokesperson for South East Water said: 'Following a hearing, the court did not grant the interim injunction. We respect the court’s decision on this.

'We are now considering Ofwat’s draft decision and will respond via the appropriate channels, ahead of its final decision. We have no further comment at this time.'

Ofweat has launched a new, separate investigation into the firm, following major supply interruptions last November and December, and again in January, which left thousands of Tunbridge Wells residents without drinking water. 

It comes just a day after another supplier, South West Water, admitted supplying water unfit for human consumption after a parasite outbreak in Devon. 

Last year, Ofwat handed Thames Water a recrod £104million fine for environmental breaches involving sewage spills.