Water is the most important resource we have. When we lose water supplies, life becomes really difficult. This is what happened to residents in Hurst Green, Robertsbridge and Bodiam last week when a water main burst. I got in touch with South East Water to find out when water would be restored and what was being done to help residents access fresh water in the meantime.
The actions by SE Water to repair were swift but I had to get involved to ensure water supplies were accessible for all residents. Whilst those with vulnerabilities can apply to a priority register for bottled water supply to the doorstep, everyone else required a car to get to a pickup point on the A21. I know that rural communities rally round to support each other but it is the job of our water companies to ensure that water collection points are sited at convenient points within the villages which have lost water. I have therefore asked SE Water for a meeting to discuss how they can better respond to water loss emergencies in future. I will be inviting local councillors to feed into this conversation as their local knowledge is key.
Talking of water, each time I travel back to the constituency and see the sea appear on the horizon, I feel so excited and lucky to be the MP for this beautiful area. The sea and beaches are not only a great public amenity but are an important part of the local economy. I was there delighted to see that Rother District Council has been awarded the Seaside Award from Keep Britain Tidy for Bexhill and Normans Bay beaches and flags are proudly flying to show this. It’s really important that we achieve the same high standard for the bathing water quality. Everyone knows the problems we have been having with sewage and it's a priority for me to secure progress on this. I have set up meetings with both the Environment Agency and Southern Water and I will keep residents updated with information and progress.
