South East Water CEO Resigns After Mass Supply Failures

BBC Business reported Friday that South East Water chief executive David Hinton has stepped down following sustained criticism over a series of severe supply failures. The company confirmed Hinton would stay on temporarily to ensure a smooth transition through summer.

Supply Failures Left Tens of Thousands Without Water

The departure follows two consecutive winter crises that left large parts of Kent and Sussex without reliable water access. Around 24,000 properties lost supply or faced dangerously low pressure during late November and early December. Weeks later, a second wave of disruptions affected up to 30,000 homes across towns including Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead, Maidstone, and Canterbury.

South East Water blamed the first incident on a disinfection issue at its Pembury Water Treatment Works. Residents then faced a nine-day boil-water advisory. The company attributed the January disruption to Storm Goretti and freezing temperatures.

The human cost was significant. Tunbridge Wells butcher Richard Hards said he was forced to close for roughly a week, losing thousands of pounds. Cafe and bar owner Murat Askin said customers were left without basic necessities for days, calling the situation completely unacceptable.

A Company Under Parliamentary Scrutiny

Hinton’s resignation comes one week after South East Water chair Chris Train also stepped down. Train’s exit followed a highly critical report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, published on 1 May. The report accused the company of poor leadership, weak governance, and a culture where accountability was absent at every level.

Committee chair Alistair Carmichael MP acknowledged the resignation was appropriate but warned that South East Water remained “on the watchlist.” He said the company had not yet begun the genuine process of reform that customers needed to see.

Political Pressure Mounts for New Leadership

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds welcomed the news, framing it as a necessary first step. She called on the company to end supply disruptions and put customer welfare at the center of all decisions going forward.

Several MPs representing affected constituencies also weighed in. Mike Martin, the MP for Tunbridge Wells, said it was “good that Dave Hinton has done the right thing.” He joined Mims Davies, MP for East Grinstead and Uckfield, in calling for outside candidates to fill both the chief executive and chair roles. Davies warned that local residents and businesses remain deeply anxious about the reliability of supply heading into the warmer months.

Interim chair Lisa Clement thanked Hinton for his years of service while signaling the board’s recognition that change was overdue.

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