David Hinton, the chief executive of South East Water, announced he will forgo his bonus for the 2025-2026 year as an acknowledgment of the company's failure to adequately manage significant water outages affecting thousands of customers in Kent and Sussex. During a session with the environment, food and rural affairs select committee, Hinton apologized for the disruptions, which left many residents without tap water, impacting their daily lives. In Tunbridge Wells, 54% of residents reported stockpiling bottled water due to a lack of confidence in the water supply. Hinton admitted that the outages were foreseeable and acknowledged the company's shortcomings in communication and operational response. The chair of South East Water, Chris Train, conceded that the company had failed to meet customer expectations. Despite the criticism, Train defended the board's decision to continue supporting Hinton and the executive team, stating they are committed to improving service delivery. The Drinking Water Inspectorate's chief inspector expressed concern over the company's handling of the outages, labeling it one of the worst responses he had encountered. The situation has raised serious questions about the company's governance and accountability, as many customers now prefer bottled water over tap water.