About 14,000 households in Kent and East Sussex are without water for a fourth day due to an issue at a treatment works, forcing some school closures
At 08:00 GMT, SEW said it was making "good progress" restoring water
But it later said it would not be able to fully restore supplies on Tuesday as it had initially hoped
The PM's spokesman has spoken, as has Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey who called for South East Water chief executive Dave Hinton to go
Read analysis from BBC South East Environment Correspondent Fiona Irving
Listen to updates throughout the day on BBC Radio Kent and watch BBC South East Today on iPlayer.
Simon Jones
in Tunbridge Wells
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey is visiting one of the bottled water stations in Tunbridge Wells.
The party has long campaigned on water-quality issues.
He said he found out on the train to Kent that South East Water would miss its target of restoring supplies to all customers by 18:00 GMT.
He said he believed the army should be called in if necessary.
Customers are entitled to 10 litres of bottled water for every 24 hours they are without a mains water supply, South East Water have said.
The water company said customers who "need it most", such as the elderly and those suffering a sickness or illness, can sign up to the priority services register and request deliveries of bottled water.
Customers are also entitled to compensation, which will automatically be applied to their next bill.
When supply is interrupted for an extended time under unplanned or emergency situations, the firm said it would make a payment of £30 for the initial period.
A payment of £30 is made for each further 12 hours, according to its website.
A number of businesses have been unable to open in Tunbridge Wells.
Cafes, restaurants and banks have placed notices on their doors and shop windows, informing customers that they cannot open until water supply issues are resolved.
Some notices have been up for multiple days.
Water supplies failed in Tunbridge Wells on Saturday.
Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin has spoken to the Minister for Water, Emma Hardy.
Mr Martin said she was "appalled at the situation" and would be pushing for the the "actual truth" from South East Water.
He added that depending on what was happening, he had asked her to mobilise national water resources into Tunbridge Wells.
"Clearly from the latest update, things are going backward rather than forwards", he added.
Image source, ReutersMore political reaction to the ongoing supply failure for you - this time from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesperson.
"We would hope that the private company in charge of the water supply is straining every sinew to restore provision to households as quickly as possible," they said.
"We have, as we've set out previously, taken a range of measures to hold water companies better to account for the service that they provide."
In the past few moments, we've heard from South East Water that supplies will not be fully restored to all properties today.
A spokesperson said that while they were recharging the network with water, there was a "recurrence of the water quality issue that shutdown the system."
Phil Harrison
in Tunbridge Wells
It’s not too busy at the RCP car park water station off Major York's Road near The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells.
The operation to get 12 or 24 litres of bottled water is very impressive from the staff in orange jackets.
The parking, loading water and driving off is very slick and taking around 15 seconds per vehicle.
Image source, PA MediaSir Ed Davey is also calling for South East Water chief executive Dave Hinton to go.
The Liberal Democrat leader's colleague, Mike Martin, the Lib Dem MP for Tunbridge Wells, called for the water boss to resign yesterday.
"I back his call for CEO David Hinton to stand down for his failure of leadership," Sir Ed says.
There were more strong words from Martin this morning, saying Dave Hinton called him last night "and ranted at me whining that I was holding him accountable".
The MP wrote on X.com: "Utterly pathetic performance from someone so highly paid".
We are asking South East Water to comment on this. The company said yesterday its "focus is entirely on returning supplies to our customers as soon as possible".
Simon Jones
In Tunbridge Wells
At The Tunbridge Wells Hotel they are filling up buckets with bottled water to enable people to flush the toilets.
Julian Leefe-Griffiths, who runs the hotel, said: "It is shockingly difficult to run a business.
"We have lost thousands of pounds through people checking out and others not checking in.
"I'm disgusted. It has been a litany of mistakes."
Three women in the bar told me: "If there’s no water the best way to cope is to drink wine."
We've heard now from the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who says the situation in Tunbridge Wells "has become an emergency".
He said the government should "deploy national resources, including army personnel if needed, to help on the ground".
Quote MessageGPs and schools have had to shut, vulnerable people, including in care homes, are unable to get access to any water and people are having to queue for hours at water distribution sites. The government must urgently step in to stop this situation from becoming a public health crisis.
Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
We've asked the government for a response.
Michael Keohan
Kent political reporter
Mike Martin has responded to the latest change of wording on the water company's updates page.
The Tunbridge Wells MP told the BBC: "It's clear now we can't trust anything South East Water say.
"I will be speaking with the water minister later today and will update from that conversation shortly."
Steve Andrews, South East Water's head of operations, apologised after up to 24,000 customers in Tunbridge Wells, Pembury, Frant and Eridge experienced a loss of water or low pressure since Saturday.
He told BBC Radio Kent: "We're really sorry to the customers that have been interrupted and the timescales that have been given.
"We are working round the clock to try to get the water back on."
Phil Harrison
in Tunbridge Wells
Daphne Pilcher, a Tunbridge Wells resident, told BBC Radio Kent: "It's grim because I have arthritis and I can't carry water bottles in my hands.
"I've lived in this house for 79 years and I've not known anything like it.
"I have been very much relying neighbours to bring me water as I can't get it myself," added the 85-year-old.
Here is an at-a-glance timeline of how the water supply interruption has unfolded.
South East Water has changed the wording on its updates page. The banner now reads:
Quote MessageOur next update will be provided on Tuesday 2nd Dec 2025 at 6:00 PM.
South East Water
Previously, it read: "We estimate that this will be resolved by Tuesday 2nd Dec 2025 at 6:00 PM".
More from South East Water, which says the customers who have seen their supply return may still have lingering problems.
Quote MessageRecharging the network needs to be done slowly to protect the network from bursts as water returns to the pipes. Some of those customers who have had their tap water restored may currently be experiencing intermittent supplies while we balance the network.
South East Water
We want to hear how the ongoing water supply problems are impacting you.
You can WhatsApp, external us on 08081 002250, use the QR code above or email us at southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk
Phil Harrison
in Tunbridge Wells
Lewis Froud, from Tunbridge Wells, said: "The frustrating thing is the deadlines for water returning keep getting pushed back.
"If we had something concrete we could plan better."
Deborah Grant, from Frant, East Sussex, said her water was starting to trickle back on Tuesday morning.
She said: "There has been no communication.
"It has been enormously inconvenient, at best."
Two primary schools remain closed in Kent owing to the lack of water:
Claremont Primary School has reopened, along with St James’ Primary School.
Some secondary schools are also closed for the second day:
Skinners' Kent Academy has reopened on Tuesday.