A water company at the centre of the crisis last month which led to some communities in East Sussex being left without water for over seven days has been asked to explain itself to county councillors.
This morning (Fri 14 July), the East Sussex County Councillor for Crowborough North and Jarvis Brook called on the County Council to invite South East Water to the County Council explain itself to elected representatives.
Conservative councillor Johanna Howell’s request was unanimously endorsed by members of the county’s Place Scrutiny Committee. The Chairman said the invitation would be issued, and additionally extended to Southern Water which supplies parts of the county with drinking water.
Cllr Howell said that South East Water has many pertinent questions to answer as to why residents, farmers and businesses were left in great distress, without any water or a satisfactory explanation, let alone an assurance that it would not happen again.
“South East Water said they could cope, when clearly they could not”, Cllr Howell told the meeting. Adding, “This is the second time that residents have been left without water in just a few short months.”
Cllr Michael Lunn who led on calls for Wealden District Council to declare an emergency said he was very pleased to hear of County Councillor Johanna Howell’s intervention and said it clearly showed that the Conservatives were leading the debate and representing residents in this key issue. The Green Party and the Liberal Democrats appear to be asleep at the wheel.
