Thousands of homes have been without water for four days in Tunbridge Wells, Kent , after South East Water accidentally added the wrong chemicals to the tap water supply.

Schools across the area have been shut for two days, and residents have been filling buckets with rainwater to flush toilets. Cats, dogs and guinea pigs have been given bottled mineral water to drink as the people of Tunbridge Wells wait for their water to be switched back on. Currently, 18,000 homes are without water.

The water company accidentally used a bad batch of coagulant chemicals at its Pembury treatment site, meaning it had to be closed down in order to clean out the pipes. The site is up and running again.

Bottled water stations are open around Tunbridge Wells as the water company scrambles to ensure no on

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