Boris Johnson asked to help as thousands without power and water in Bexhill and Battle

Huw Merriman, Conservative MP for Bexhill and Battle, raised their plight with Mr Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday afternoon (February 23), calling for water companies to be required to “have back up generators so the water doesn’t stop running when the power goes down”.

He also called for Local Resilience Forums to be “fit for purpose and communicate with the community they serve”. In response, the PM said: “I know how tough it is for people who have been short of power for days on end...we’re working as fast as we can with local authorities, with the electricity companies, to make sure that they get their power back, but also ensuring that we build in more resilience for the future.”

PICTURES - Bexhill: Queue for bottled water as thousands still without water after Storm Eunice

Residents have been queuing for bottled water in Bexhill - and South East Water is still unable to say when the water supply will be returned. Areas still without water include Bexhill, Hooe, Ninfield, Netherfield, Battle, Whatlington and Staplecross. Water returned yesterday (February 23) to homes in Ewhurst Green, Horns Cross, Beckley, Peasmarsh, Rye Foreign, Playden and Iden. Many properties in Bexhill and Battle are still without power six days after the storm hit on Friday (February 18).

South East Water apologised to customers and said the lack of water in Bexhill and Battle and surrounding villages was caused by a lack of electricity to water pumps. “It is difficult to give a time of resolution as the power needs to be completely restored first,” a spokesperson added.

Residents’ anger as thousands in Bexhill, Battle, Staplecross, Peasmarsh without water five days after Storm Eunice

Mr Merriman said he was waiting to hear from the Sussex Resilience Forum - a multi-agency organisation that includes the emergency services - whether the army will be brought in to help residents.

Bexhill and Battle: Army may be called in to help thousands still without water

He also led questions to the Secretary of State for Business and Energy to seek further intervention and reform among utility companies. He explained that South East Water did not have back-up generators in place so the water failed along with the power. He also expressed concern that the power providers were focusing efforts to reconnect power to the most homes rather than prioritising the rural pumping stations which deliver the water.

He said he has been in close contact with Bexhill and Battle residents and the utility companies, ensuring the most vulnerable have access to water and power, or are moved to utility company-funded hotel accommodation until services are restored. Several UK Power Network customer service vehicles have been providing hot food, drinks, charging facilities and Wi-Fi to residents without power.

Mr Merriman said: “It is simply not good enough that residents have been without power and or water for five days. Our local water and power supply resilience clearly needs bolstering to prevent this situation from ever occurring again.” He added: “I am sorry that so many residents have endured such frustrating and unnecessary consequences. You have my word that I will work hard to address the flaws in our system that allowed these issues to arise in the first place.”

South East Water has been running two bottled water stations - one at Mount View car park, 3 Old Ladies Ct, Battle TN33 OAR, and another at Bexhill Sea Angling Club, De La Warr Parade, Bexhill TN40 1AY. It added another one in the Rother area yesterday - at Black Horse, Hastings Road, Battle, TN33 0SH.

Pictures showed people queuing for bottled water outside Bexhill Sea Angling Club. Bexhill resident Al Manoukian said the queue on Monday night (February 21) “was about a mile long”.

Another resident, Daniel Burton, said: “The army should have been called in before this, due to the length of disruption to water supplies, and as a result I am in support of daily press conferences being introduced to update the public on a daily basis. Problems with the water supply have forced education establishments to close this week, with a lot of uncertainty about when they will reopen. I understand that it has been very distressing for pupils and students with special needs, not knowing when they will be back into the classroom which is not good, as this is one of the difficulties that individuals with special needs face.”

Bexhill College has been forced to close all week due to “issues with our water supply”.

Mr Merriman added: “If you have been impacted by Storm Eunice, you are eligible for £50 after 24 hours without electricity, an additional £70 if you reach 48 hours, and an additional £70 thereafter for every 12 hours without power.”

Residents can fill in a claim by clicking HERE

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