A major incident has been declared after thousands of people were left without water today following Storm Ciaran’s disruption to a treatment works.

Thames Water expressed their regrets, stating, “We are truly sorry about the ongoing water supply issues” experienced by residents in areas like Guildford and Godalming, Surrey. They explained that the storm had led to complications at the Shalford water treatment works.

The company reported that they were actively addressing incidents, including reports of no water or low pressure. Meanwhile, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt shared that Thames Water had informed him that a minimum of 13,500 households had been impacted by the problem by 2.50pm, with an additional 6,500 expected to face supply disruptions soon.

Families expressed their frustration online in response to this significant problem. Professor Nigel Wright, an expert in flood risk, emphasized, “A lack of planning and investment in resilience has caused this. Don’t pass the buck.”