MP in constant communication with SES Water

Helen Maguire MP in constant communication with SES Water to rectify the ongoing Supply Crisis 
 
Helen Maguire, MP for Epsom & Ewell, has expressed deep frustration and concern over the prolonged water outages affecting residents in Epsom, Ewell, Stoneleigh, Sutton, and surrounding areas. Many households have been without consistent water supplies for over 30 hours, some since Monday afternoon, leaving families struggling with basic hygiene, cleaning, and laundry, as well as uncertainty in the lead-up to Christmas.
 
In a further blow to the community, Nonsuch High School for Girls was forced to close three days early due to health and safety concerns, disrupting the education of 1,500 students. According to Headteacher Mrs. Williamson-Jones, there was simply no alternative given the ongoing water issues. Parents and staff are deeply concerned about the educational and welfare implications of this unexpected early closure.
 
water Headteacher, Mrs. Williamson-Jones said:
“As headteacher of Nonsuch I had to make the decision to close the school on Tuesday 17 December on health and safety grounds of having no water for toilets, heating or cooking facilities. With no clear timeline of when things would be fixed I had to close the school for the rest of term. This has affected the education of 1500 students.”
 
Constituents have reported receiving minimal and vague updates from SES Water, despite Ofwat guidelines requiring that water companies provide clear estimated restoration times. Long queues at bottled water stations, limited access to alternative supplies, and a lack of transparency have amplified public anger and distress. Some residents have resorted to purchasing large volumes of supermarket bottled water, while others have raised concerns about recent hikes in their water bills, despite no improvement in service reliability.
 
Helen Maguire MP Epsom & EwellHelen Maguire MP said:
“It’s completely unacceptable that my constituents, have been left in the dark. Families are unable to shower, flush toilets, or do basic cleaning after more than 30 hours without supply, and now 1,500 girls at Nonsuch High School are having to be taught remotely because of this crisis.
 
Since Monday I have been in regular communication with SES Water and I spoke with the Chief Executive, Ian Cain this morning. They have explained that the ongoing water supply disruption was due to the failure of a critical valve. Their teams have been working 24/7, to resolve this complex issue and it is anticipated that water supplies will begin to be restored within the next 24 hours.
 
However, residents should be aware that it may take an additional 24 hours for supplies to return to normal as we conduct the necessary water quality checks and tests to ensure safety and compliance with standards.
 
In the interim, I have urged SES Water to continue supporting their most vulnerable customers, including hospices, hospitals, and other residents on their pre-identified list. I am glad that bottled water is being provided across four sites the details of which can be found on their website.
Beyond the immediate crisis, this outage raises serious questions about the resilience of our local water infrastructure and SES Water’s ability to ensure minimal disruption to local residents.
 
My constituents deserve a swift resolution, and a firm commitment that their concerns will be taken seriously. I will continue pressing SES Water to establish clear timelines and improved communication with residents. From families in their homes to students in our schools, everyone deserves to be confident in the resilience of our water supplies.
 
For the latest update from SES Water CLICK HERE

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