Hampshire, England – Nearly 58,000 homes across Hampshire are facing severe water outages following a technical issue at Southern Water’s Testwood supply works. The disruption comes on the same day that water consumers in England and Wales brace for news of significant bill hikes, with increases of over 20% expected by 2030.
The outage has left homes in Southampton, Romsey, Eastleigh, Totton, and parts of the New Forest without water. Long queues have formed at emergency bottle stations, set up at locations including:
- Places Leisure Centre in Eastleigh
- Sainsbury’s superstore in Southampton
- Asda superstore in Totton
Southern Water has also prioritised deliveries to hospitals, including Southampton General and Princess Anne Hospital, and is maintaining supply for customers registered on their priority list.
Schools in the affected areas are expected to remain closed until supplies are restored. Southampton General has reassured patients, stating that contingency plans are in place to maintain essential operations, but advised allowing extra time for travel and parking.
Southern Water has said it is working to restore supply by Thursday but warned that the issue may persist until the weekend.
The outage coincides with news of steep water bill hikes. Southern Water is seeking regulatory approval from Ofwat to increase bills by 84%, while Thames Water has requested a 53% rise.
The average water bill is set to rise from £448 to £542 per year by 2030, with proposed increases funding an £88 billion investment in infrastructure and environmental improvements.
Ofwat’s draft decisions, released in July, suggested an average bill increase of 21% before inflation, beginning in April 2024.
The timing of the Hampshire outage, coupled with news of rising bills, has left many consumers frustrated. Critics argue that water companies have failed to address infrastructure issues despite past promises of investment.
Local resident Jane Phillips said, “It’s unacceptable that we’re paying more for a service that can’t even guarantee basic supply. Southern Water’s profits shouldn’t come at the cost of public wellbeing.”
Southern Water has faced significant scrutiny in recent years for its handling of sewage discharges and service disruptions. The company’s bid to increase bills by such a high margin has intensified criticism from environmental groups and consumer advocates.
While Southern Water works to resolve the Hampshire crisis, the focus remains on whether Ofwat will approve the proposed hikes. If implemented, the increases will significantly impact household budgets across the UK.
The situation underscores the growing challenge of balancing infrastructure investment with affordability, as public trust in water companies continues to erode.
