A water leak on Newhaven’s ring road has not been fixed for over a month

The leak was due to be repaired on Tuesday, April 2, but South East Water were unable to complete the works.

Charles Healey, Regional Network Manager, South East Water said: “We’re extremely sorry that we were unable to repair the leak as expected last night (2 April).

“This was due to the complexity of the repair and the extra time needed to install and subsequently clear away the vital traffic management to keep our staff and the public safe.

“We’re working with Highways to agree a new date to repair this leak as safely and undisruptive as possible and we would like to thank everyone affected for their patience.”

Mr Healy previously said: “Due to the leak's location and to ensure the safety of our staff and the public, we have had to apply for traffic management.

“We understand that seeing leaks can be frustrating, and we take our responsibility to repair them to save water very seriously. If you see a leak while out and about, please report it via our live interactive map: aqualerter.southeastwater.co.uk. We thank you for your patience while we carry out this repair.”

Newhaven councillors have spoken to South East Water on behalf of concerned residents.

Newhaven county councillor James MacCleary said: “This leak has been ongoing for far too long and is causing an inconvenience to residents in the area. Summer is coming and we'll no doubt be hearing from South East Water that we all need to conserve water while they are literally pouring it down the drain. They needs to take urgent action to fix the leak and ensure that it does not happen again in the future.”

Councillor Sean Macleod said: “This leak is just one of many that have occurred in the district in recent months. South East Water needs to invest in its infrastructure to ensure that these leaks do not happen again in the future.”

South East Water have confirmed the average household will pay £245.44 a year – an average increase of 31 pence per month - for their tap water supply from 1 April. This increase of 1.59 per cent on last year – an average of £3.65 a year – is below inflation.