Approximately 9,000 homes across parts of Crawley experienced water supply disruptions on Sunday morning following what police characterised as a "significant" leak from a burst water pipe in the area.
The incident centred on the Southgate Roundabout, where Sussex Police closed multiple roads to allow emergency services to manage the situation safely. Southgate Avenue, Crawley Avenue and a section of the A23 were all shut to traffic while repair work proceeded.
Southern Water mobilised teams to the site and established bottled water distribution stations to support affected residents. The utility company confirmed that customers in Woolborough Road, Holmcroft, Southgate, Tilgate and Furnace Green were experiencing either complete loss of water supply or significantly reduced pressure.
A Southern Water representative stated:
"Our teams are on site and working as quickly and safely as possible to repair the burst and restore supplies."The company added that
"Restoring water to customers as quickly as possible remains our highest priority."
Martin Lawrence, a delivery driver working in the area at 05:00 BST, witnessed the scale of the flooding. He described the scene to a local broadcaster:
"I came across this massive flood going across the road. There was a large amount of water going from one side of the roundabout to the other and going into an underpass. I've never seen so much water in my life."
How can residents get water during the outage?
Southern Water established temporary bottled water stations throughout the affected neighbourhoods to ensure residents had access to drinking water while repairs continued. Customers requiring bottled water supplies, particularly those with additional vulnerabilities, can contact the company directly at 0330 303 0368 for support and assistance.
The utility company's guidance indicates that there is no fixed timeframe for how long water may take to return after supply is interrupted, meaning restoration could take varying amounts of time depending on the complexity of repairs required.
What should residents do if they spot other leaks?
Members of the public who identify burst pipes or other water infrastructure problems should report them promptly. Southern Water operates a 24-hour Leakline at 0800 820 999 for reporting public burst pipes and related emergencies.
What is Southern Water doing to prevent future incidents?
The company has committed significant resources to infrastructure improvements across the region. Southern Water is currently investing £45.7 million in water supply and treatment infrastructure serving Crawley, East Grinstead and Uckfield, though such investment programmes typically take several years to complete.
This incident follows a pattern of water supply disruptions across the south-east. In August 2026, thousands of homes in Tonbridge, Kent remained without water or low pressure after a burst pipe, while earlier in the year nearly 6,000 homes in Kent faced water supply issues following a burst pipe from Bewl Water Treatment Works. In July 2026, a burst water main flooded several York streets, damaging road surfaces and flooding premises.
What happens next?
Residents in affected areas can monitor progress by checking for incident updates through Southern Water's online portal and signing up for alerts about repairs in their neighbourhood. The company will continue responding to emergency reports through its standard channels while work to restore full water pressure continues across all impacted postcodes.
