South East Water must pay £30.5m over supply failures in Kent and Sussex

South East Water has been forced to spend £30.5 million on improvements following supply disruptions affecting thousands of customers in Kent and Sussex.

Water regulator Ofwat said it followed the outcome of three investigations into the company’s repeated failures.

The compensation package will be paid by the company’s shareholders, not through customer invoices.

A spokesman for the water company said it was “incredibly saddened” by the supply disruptions Kent and Sussex customers have experienced in the past.

“We know this has caused significant disruption and concern and we acknowledge the failings that Ofwat has identified,” they said.

“This is not the standard of service our customers deserve.

“Our priority was to ensure that the resolution of this investigation directly benefited those who suffered most.”

Ofwat said the compensation would include £5 million to provide free water kegs to households, £5 million to highlight smart metering to businesses and other non-domestic customers, and a further £5 million for on-site storage to help manage supply during peak demand.