Water bottle stations were set up after residents’ taps ran dry following a leak - but the main route there was closed by the burst pipe.

Blacksole Bridge, which crosses over the railway in Herne Bay, was closed at short notice on Tuesday (February 18).

Those living nearby experienced interruptions to their water supply, low pressure and in some cases had no water.

South East Water applied for emergency permission from Kent County Council to close the road and fix the leak.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: “We are sorry if you are experiencing low water pressure or supply interruptions today.

“Our teams are working hard to restore service as quickly as possible.

“We thank customers for being patient as we repair a burst on the main pipe. The road will remain closed whilst we do this.”

A bottled water station for affected customers was set up at Sainsbury’s, in The Boulevard, which was open until 9pm (February 20).

However, residents hit back at the firm, stating the main route to the supermarket is via the Blacksole Bridge which it has closed.

One said: “Is this for real? There is a water shortage in Beltinge due to a broken water main which has closed the railway bridge.

“So where do they tell us to go to get bottled water? Sainsbury’s car park which is the other side of the closed-down bridge.”

In an update today (Friday), Jim MacIntyre, Incident Manager for South East Water said:

“Customers in Herne Bay should be back in supply this morning (Friday 21 February 2025) after a burst water main near Blacksole Bridge on Margate Road caused low pressures and loss of supply yesterday.

“Our teams worked tirelessly through the night to carry out the repair and we will be returning the road to a safe drivable condition and reopen it as soon as we possibly can. In the meantime, we shall continue to monitor the water supply across Herne Bay.

“We understand how frustrating a loss of water supply can be and thank our customers for their patience and understanding whilst we carried out these repairs.”

Others said they were unable to access the collection point following a major crash on the A229 Thanet Way.

The coastbound carriageway was partially blocked and traffic was at a standstill near the turn-off for the superstore.

One resident who was able to access the collection point from the Reculver direction said it was “very well organised” and there were plenty of supplies..

It is hoped the carriageway, which links Altira Park and the A299 Thanet Way to Reculver and the east of the town, will reopen by 5pm on Friday.

No official diversion has been listed, though traffic can use Mickleburgh Hill, B2205 and A299 as a bypass.

The road itself is in a state of serious disrepair, with these works the first steps towards mending the road surface and any damage to the railway bridge.