The hon. Member highlighted the potential animal tragedy if farmers cannot provide water to their cattle, noting that farms with up to 200 livestock need priority support during water supply issues.

Expressed agreement with the lead MP's points about the impact of water shortages on farmers and businesses.

Problems with water supply in the Weald of Kent have led to outages affecting thousands during heatwaves and tens of thousands for days due to a freeze-thaw event. Communication from South East Water was poor, leaving constituents without basic information about bottled water stations or availability. A survey of nearly 3,000 households showed that four in every five respondents had been left without running water over the past decade, with four in ten experiencing outages four times or more.

Mr McKenna discussed the supply and sewage challenges in his constituency, noting the area's vulnerability due to its geographical location and single water main link. He raised concerns about industrial competition with residents for water usage and the lack of infrastructure resilience. Mr McKenna requested a clear plan from the Minister on securing future water supply through measures like desalination and reservoirs.

Mr Martin detailed the severe water supply issues in Tunbridge Wells, where over 24,000 properties lacked water for a week and then had a boil notice for another week. He highlighted specific incidents of distress among constituents, including those with medical conditions who were unable to clean themselves properly due to lack of water. Local businesses suffered significant losses during this period. Mr Martin urged South East Water to increase compensation offered to local businesses and to focus on investment in the Pembury water treatment works and interconnections between water networks. He also raised concerns about high debt interest rates, with shareholders making £1.8 million in interest while constituents lacked water, and called for addressing financialisation issues within the sector.

Welcomed contributions from colleagues, highlighted the severe impact of water outages on residents, businesses, and livestock in Kent. Mentioned South East Water's failures and the need for short-term resilience measures. Raised concerns about elderly and vulnerable people during supply disruptions and the mental health impacts of recurring outages. Asked how the Minister would ensure that new leadership implements necessary upgrades to prevent future outages.

Mr Gale highlighted the common occurrence of sewage discharge in coastal areas, citing a recent message from Herne Bay. He criticised water companies for failing to provide adequate water and sewerage services as statutory duties require, particularly with increased housing developments. Mr Gale urged the Minister to ensure that water companies are statutory consultees for all planning applications.

Mr Tugendhat highlighted the fifth major South East Water outage in Tonbridge and Malling since last year, criticizing the company's response time and lack of transparency. He detailed a recent incident where residents lost water for 36 hours with little communication from South East Water and inadequate emergency provisions. Mr Tugendhat noted that while some improvements have been made, such as replacing leadership, the business continuity plan remains insufficient.

Mr Osborne highlighted the corporate failure of South East Water over the past decade, affecting thousands of customers. He pointed out four main failures: ineffective management oversight, poor asset maintenance, lack of infrastructure investment, and inadequate communication with stakeholders. Mr Osborne noted specific incidents in December 2023 and May impacting 24,000 and 22,000 customers respectively. Emphasising the need for improved communication and accountability, he questioned whether shareholders held South East Water responsible and if internal processes documented events properly. Concerned about future demand due to infrastructure expansion in Kent, Mr Osborne asked what the Government would do to ensure financial sustainability and market confidence.