Gatwick Airport facing water outage after main burst in Horley

Gatwick Airport passengers were left without water after a main burst in a nearby field.

SES Water said that it located a burst main in Horley, with parts of the airport left without water as a result.

A spokesperson for the airport confirmed that the issue had affected water supply in both terminals and was under investigation by SES Water. The water company said it had begun to restore supply and that water pressure was beginning to return to normal.

Flights remained unaffected by the disruption, the airport added.

The issues come after a major supply outage in July saw passengers face long queues for toilets at the West Sussex airport, with restaurants and bars also closing.

Natasha Nzekwe, who was due to fly to Amsterdam from the North Terminal, said: "It's quite frustrating, but everyone seems to be pretty fine.

"There's no water at all, you can't even wash your hands in the toilets.

"If I were on a long haul flight I think it would be worse, not being able to properly wash your hands is frustrating, and they haven't given us any information as to what is going on."

Naduni Abeywickrama, who was travelling from London to Aberdeen, added that the delay was "extremely frustrating".

She added: "No one seems to be making a scene, but I feel frustrated because this is the second time this has happened."

Toilets in the airport's North Terminal are closed as a result of the supply issue, while the majority of toilets in the South Terminal are unaffected.

Food outlets in the North Terminal remain open, but for passenger seating only.

Anthony Rochester, head of networks at SES Water, said that it "had restored water supplies to Gatwick Airport and the surrounding areas by re-routing our network".

"We're continuing to work closely with the airport as we understand water isn't yet flowing throughout their buildings", he added.

A Gatwick Airport spokesperson said: "Toilets have remained available throughout, and food and beverage outlets are now reopening and serving hot food.

"Since becoming aware of the issue, we have been working closely with our airport partners to help minimise the impact and successfully ensure all of today's flights continue to depart as scheduled.

"We recognise the inconvenience caused by today's water shortage and thank passengers for their patience and understanding. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available."

In July, both terminals at Gatwick Airport lost running water for several hours after a power failure at a treatment works in the area.

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Water returns to Gatwick Airport after major outage