Families forced to queue for bottled water in 32C temperatures after 8,000 homes left without supply - as reservoirs hit 'critical' level

By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 20:17, 28 May 2026 | Updated: 20:19, 28 May 2026 Thousands of residents in a British town have been forced to queue for bottled water in 32C heat, after 8,000 homes were left without water.  South East Water said 8,000 homes in the Kent town of Whitstable have no water, after soaring temperatures over the bank holiday weekend led to extremely high demand.  This high demand left reservoirs in the region at a 'critical' level, said South East Water's incident manager Matthew Dean.  Images showed a long queue of cars lining up for bottled water at a collection point at a Sainsbury's near the town today.  Cars were seen lined up down the eastbound side of the A2990 that feeds into the megastore on the edge of Whitstable, and snaking down into the carpark itself.  In the carpark, attendants were seen handing out multipacks of bottled water to those who braved the weather.  Dozens were seen carrying their supplies away from the shop as the sun bore down on them.  In Whitstable itself, many businesses had to close early due to the lack of water A woman seen carrying water bottles from a collection point on the edge of Whitstable, Kent, on May 28 2026 People in cars queuing for water bottles being handed out at a water collection point at a Sainsbury's near Whitstable, Kent, on May 28 2026 People queue for bottled water from a water collection point at a Sainsbury's near Whitstable, Kent on May 28, 2026 Cafes and restaurants put up signs in their windows telling customers they could not open as they had no water.  At least 14,000 people had low pressure or an intermittent supply in Tankerton, Ashford and surrounding areas, Ulcombe, Cranbrook, Coxheath, Headcorn, Herne Bay, Charing, Challock and Molash.  Yesterday, the company urged locals to only use water for essential purposes, like drinking, washing and cooking, following supply issues over the bank holiday.  This is despite the fact that during the 2024-25 period, South East Water had an average leakage rate of 104.8million litres per day across its network, significantly higher than its target of 81million litres per day.  The company has also admitted that the problem of water leakage has been getting worse since at least 2019/20.  Today, Kent County Council said it will set up a new 'strategic partnership' to oversee water resilience in the region.  The Kent Water Resilience Partnership will be chaired by Linden Kemkaran, leader of the council, and will include water companies, local authorities, regulators and others to investigate planning and performance, and understand how water issues in the county are being addressed.  Kemkaran said: 'People across Kent are fed up with being left without water or having their supply disrupted, sometimes for days at a time, and not getting clear answers about what’s gone wrong or when it will be fixed.  Cafes and restaurants put up signs in their windows telling customers they could not open as they had no water A man carried two multipacks of water bottles from a collection point in Kent on May 28, 2026  Water tankers near Whitstable, Kent, on May 28, 2026  A man collects bottled water at a water collection point at a Sainsbury's near Whitstable, Kent, on May 28, 2026  People collect bottled water from a water collection point at a Sainsbury's near Whitstable, Kent on May 28, 2026 'That’s simply not good enough.' She admitted that while the council does not have direct power over water companies, 'we do have a responsibility to stand up for Kent.' She added: 'At the moment, responsibility is too fragmented and there is no single place where the whole system is being looked at.  'This partnership intends to change that. It will shine a light on the issues affecting Kent and make sure there is clear, open scrutiny of how those responsible are responding.' The Daily Mail has contacted South East Water for comment.   Should water companies be held accountable for failing to fix leaks while families suffer in extreme heat? What's your view? 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