Ian Byatt, Director General of Water Services, announced today that he is investigating the performance of Mid Kent Water following the recent disruptions to water supplies to customers. The enquiry will
examine concerns that the company has not performed satisfactorily.Ian Byatt said:
"Customers must receive a secure supply of water for essential purposes - that includes during hot and dry weather.
"This inquiry into Mid Kent's performance will be an open one and we
will invite comments from the people who have been affected. I will involve the Southern Customer Service Committee and the other regulators."
The enquiry will examine issues including:
- what caused the supply failure?
- did the company do everything in its power to prevent the failure in the first place, and then to provide alternative supplies and restore the service as quickly as possible?
- were customers kept properly informed about the situation?
Broader issues about ensuring the continuity of water supplies and maintaining the balance between the demand for and the supply of water in the South East, including Mid Kent, are being considered as part of the current price review. There has been a great deal of work
done on this already with the companies in the region and the Environment Agency.Note to Editors
More details about the enquiry will be issued shortly.
Ian Byatt wrote to Mid Kent Water on Tuesday (3 August) to inform the company that he would mount a regulatory inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the loss of supplies experienced by customers.
www.open.gov.uk/ofwat/
