Gatwick Airport water outage after main

A burst water main left passengers at Gatwick Airport without water in parts of both terminals. The issue, which occurred after a main burst in a nearby field in Horley, was under investigation by the water company SES Water.

Flights remained unaffected by the disruption, according to a spokesperson for the airport. SES Water said it had begun to restore supply and that water pressure was beginning to return to normal.

Toilets in the airport's North Terminal were closed as a result of the supply issue. The majority of toilets in the South Terminal were unaffected. Food outlets in the North Terminal remained open, but for passenger seating only.

Anthony Rochester, head of networks at SES Water, stated that the company had restored water supplies to Gatwick Airport and the surrounding areas by re-routing its network. He added that they were continuing to work closely with the airport as they understood water was not yet flowing throughout all buildings.

A Gatwick Airport spokesperson later said that toilets had remained available throughout, and that food and beverage outlets were reopening and serving hot food. The spokesperson said the airport had been working closely with partners to minimise the impact and ensure all flights continued to depart as scheduled.

Passengers expressed frustration at the situation. Natasha Nzekwe, who was due to fly to Amsterdam from the North Terminal, said it was quite frustrating, with no water available to wash hands in the toilets. She noted a lack of information about what was happening.

Naduni Abeywickrama, travelling from London to Aberdeen, said the delay was extremely frustrating. She added that no one seemed to be making a scene, but she felt frustrated because this was the second time such an incident had occurred.

Previous Incident

The issues come after a major supply outage in July. That incident saw passengers face long queues for toilets at the West Sussex airport, with restaurants and bars also closing. In July, both terminals at Gatwick Airport lost running water for several hours after a power failure at a treatment works in the area.

The airport recognised the inconvenience caused by the water shortage and thanked passengers for their patience. It stated it would continue to provide updates as more information became available.