The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Monday 21 September 2026 to discuss wastewater management and infrastructure with Southern Water, and to consider the final report of the South East Water Task and Finish Group. The committee agreed to forward recommendations to Full Council regarding South East Water's communication and a potential pilot project, and to invite the Head of Planning to present on housing delivery and water infrastructure.

Southern Water Presentation on Wastewater Management

Southern Water representatives, John Yates, Head of Delivery for the Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force, and John Mealy, Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager for Kent, presented an update on their wastewater management and infrastructure plans for the Tunbridge Wells district between 2025 and 2030.

Southern Water is investing over £150 million in Tunbridge Wells during this period to improve wastewater assets. This investment will focus on wastewater treatment works, pumping stations, the sewer network, and the implementation of green solutions within catchments to protect the environment. Key objectives include significant environmental improvements through reducing storm overflow releases, enhancing phosphorus removal from wastewater to improve river quality in the River Grom and River Teise, and ensuring the network can cope with growth, particularly in the Paddock Wood area.

A significant portion of the investment, over £60 million, is dedicated to reducing storm overflow releases. Southern Water explained that storm overflows are a necessary part of combined sewer systems, designed to release excess water during heavy rainfall to prevent flooding of homes and businesses. However, the number of activations has been too high, prompting a dedicated Storm Overflow Reduction Programme. This programme aims to reduce spills by implementing sustainable solutions, such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), and improving existing infrastructure. The company is working towards regulatory targets, with a goal of achieving 10 or fewer spills per year on average by 2030 for 16 combined sewer overflows (CSOs) within the Tunbridge Wells district.

Southern Water highlighted their investigative approach, which involves detailed surveys and the use of technologies like Event Duration Monitors (EDMs) and Sewer Level Monitors (SLMs) to understand and address issues. They are also exploring innovative solutions such as the Centaur smart gate system, sewer sealing to reduce infiltration, and expanding storm tank capacity. The company emphasised the importance of partnership working with local authorities, businesses, and residents to manage surface water effectively and reduce its entry into the foul sewer network.

During the question and answer session, councillors raised concerns about the high number of spills in specific areas like Tunbridge Wells South and Bidborough. Southern Water confirmed that investigations in these areas began in 2025 and are ongoing, with a focus on identifying and removing surface water connections to the foul system. They also provided an update on the Eridge Road project, where tree roots had been impacting the sewer network, with completion anticipated by late October or early November. Southern Water committed to providing further data on EDMs and SLMs, and to follow up on specific queries regarding dye testing in Southborough Park.

The committee also discussed the collaboration between Southern Water and South East Water, acknowledging past issues with water leaks and the need for improved communication and a clearer process for resolving such incidents. Southern Water assured the committee that they regularly communicate with other water companies and are working to improve their response times and inter-company coordination.

South East Water Task and Finish Group Report

The committee considered the final report of the South East Water Task and Finish Group, which was established following severe water outages in December 2025 and January 2026. The group's inquiry focused on South East Water's promises, the financial impact on the local economy, emergency plans, and the council's future dealings with the water company and its regulators.

The report identified a Trust Gap between residents and South East Water, stemming from issues such as the company owning the assets and operational data, controlling communications, and the council bearing the brunt of community impact. The group concluded that while South East Water had made some short-term resilience improvements and was investing in expanding treatment works capacity, there was still a need for more measures to ensure water supplies were sufficient for current and future housing needs.

Key recommendations were agreed to be forwarded to Full Council:

1. Invite South East Water to provide an update on progress sometime during the 2027/28 Committee cycle.
2. Hold a separate meeting with South East Water to discuss ways for better communication with residents.
3. Consider a pilot project, funded by South East Water, for a 'joint' one-stop shop for residents to report issues and share information. This recommendation was debated, with some suggesting it might be pre-empting a solution. However, the committee agreed to keep the recommendation as drafted, noting that the pilot would allow for exploration of different options and that the final decision would rest with Full Council.
4. The recommendations would be made in the form of a letter from the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny, endorsed by the Leader and Chief Executive.

The committee agreed to forward these recommendations to Full Council.

Work Programme

The committee reviewed its future work programme. It was agreed to invite Carlos Hone, Head of Planning, to give a presentation on housing delivery and its integration with water infrastructure, a presentation that had been postponed from a previous meeting. Members were invited to submit any further suggestions for the work programme to the Clerk.