South East Water pledges 48-hour livestock support during outages

South East Water has launched a new emergency scheme aimed at getting alternative water supplies to livestock owners within 48 hours of an unplanned outage.

The livestock register, introduced on 9 July, is open to farmers and smallholders within the company’s supply areas across parts of Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent.

Livestock owners are being urged to register their animals and holding details before an emergency so their water requirements can be assessed in advance.

South East Water says the register is the first of its kind in the water industry and will allow emergency assistance to be tailored to individual farms and smallholdings.

The scheme was developed following feedback from livestock owners and lessons learned from previous supply interruptions.

Water outages can quickly create animal-welfare risks, particularly on holdings without sufficient storage or access to an alternative supply.

Emergency teams will prioritise locations facing the most serious welfare concerns, with the company aiming to have critical support on the ground within 48 hours.

Livestock owners with six or more animals may receive water directly at their holding, depending on their circumstances and requirements.

Support could include bottled water for young or vulnerable livestock, mobile bowsers, static tanks or bulk tanker deliveries into existing on-farm storage.

Those with five or fewer animals will normally be directed to filling points established as close as possible to the affected area.

These sites will provide bottled or bulk water for collection, allowing smallholders to fill their own containers, tanks or bowsers.

The scheme follows major supply disruptions across Kent and Sussex in late 2025 and January 2026, which affected tens of thousands of South East Water customers and prompted criticism of the company’s emergency response.

Research commissioned by the Consumer Council for Water and Ofwat found low satisfaction among affected customers, with concerns raised over communication, bottled-water provision and support during outages.

South East Water has also faced regulatory scrutiny over earlier supply failures, adding pressure on the company to improve its response to future incidents.

Douglas Whitfield, water supply director at South East Water, acknowledged that improvements were needed.

“We know we need to make improvements and we're committed to doing things better,” he said.

“We recognise that disruptions to the water supply present a direct threat to livestock welfare and agricultural livelihoods.”

Whitfield said the new system had been shaped by the experiences of farmers and smallholders affected by previous interruptions.

“Following lessons learned and feedback from previous incidents, this new approach gives our local farming community the support they need when unexpected disruptions happen,” he said.

Despite introducing the register, South East Water said livestock owners should not rely solely on emergency deliveries.

Farmers and smallholders are still being encouraged to maintain their own contingency arrangements, including suitable on-farm water storage.

The 48-hour period is a response target rather than a guarantee, while the type of assistance provided will depend on the needs and circumstances of each holding.

Commercial farmers and private smallholders within South East Water’s supply area are being urged to register before an outage occurs so emergency support can be planned and deployed more effectively.