US EditionWater company boss to forgo bonus following water outage
David Hinton said the company missed early warning signs and made 35,000 bottled water deliveries, with 70 missed for vulnerable customers.
- On Tuesday, South East Water executives faced the Parliamentary Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee over recent supply outages. Chief Executive David Hinton, earning £400,000 annually, announced he will forgo his performance bonus for the 2025/2026 year.
- Severe supply interruptions in Kent and Sussex left thousands without drinking water for days, prompting the hearing. Hinton conceded that issues at the Pembury Water Treatment Works were foreseeable, admitting to a 'reactive culture' and poor infrastructure maintenance.
- Chairman Chris Train admitted the company 'failed on the basic objective of delivering water to customers,' marking a significant shift from previous testimony. Train defended retaining the current leadership team despite major failings.
- Regulator Ofwat previously announced plans to fine SEW £22 million over supply failures between 2020 and 2023, impacting more than 286,000 people. Committee chair Alistair Carmichael remained 'deeply sceptical' of the company's version of events.
- SEW is investing £2.1 billion into infrastructure and resilience over the next five years to prevent future crises. However, a survey shows 54% of customers now store bottled water in case of further outages, reflecting eroded public confidence.
11 Articles
11 Articles
South East Water chief to forgo bonus following Kent and Sussex water outages
Chief executive David Hinton, who receives a £400,000 salary, said he has made the decision not to receive any performance payment this year. South East Water’s boss said he will forgo a bonus this year after recent outages left thousands of customers without drinking water in Kent and Sussex. Chief executive David Hinton, who receives a £400,000 salary, said he has made the decision not to receive any additional “performance” payment for the 20…
Customers failed over outages, water boss tells MPs
Customers failed over outages, water boss tells MPs The boss of a water company has admitted to MPs it "failed" customers when severe supply issues caused misery for tens of thousands of people over the winter. Grilled by MPs from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Efra) on…
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