Gatwick Airport Water Supply Restored After Outage Causes Disruption

Gatwick Airport has restored its water supply after a major outage caused by a power failure at a treatment works, leading to disruptions including closed restaurants and bars, and long queues for toilets. The issue, which began Sunday morning, affected both terminals and was resolved by Sunday night, with the airport reporting that water had returned to the "vast majority" of the campus. SES Water, the utility company responsible, stated that the power outage at Bough Beech treatment works was fixed, but it would take time for the network to fully normalize due to the complexity of the issue.

Passengers reported confusion and frustration, with some expressing disappointment over the lack of announcements and bottled water distribution. Former MP Michael Dugher criticized the airport for not allowing passengers to use closed venues for seating. Despite the challenges, Gatwick Airport confirmed there were no flight cancellations and that staff were working to reopen facilities safely. The airport also deployed additional teams to support passengers.

The BBC spoke with several passengers, including Paul Lee, who noted the lack of communication, and Roger Wood, who described the general grumpiness among passengers but also a sense of resignation. BBC Reporter Adam Dowling experienced a flight delay due to the disruption.

SES Water apologized for the inconvenience and assured that teams were working quickly to resolve the issue, thanking the public for their patience.