Additional Coverage:
- Water outage at London’s Gatwick airport leaves toilets out of order and restaurants closed (nbcnews.com)
Water Disruption at London Gatwick Airport Causes Inconvenience for Passengers
LONDON – Gatwick Airport, the UK’s second busiest airport after Heathrow, experienced a disruption to its water supply on Sunday due to a power outage at a nearby water treatment facility.
The outage, which affected both terminals, led to flushing toilets becoming inoperable and forced the closure of bars and restaurants, according to reports from passengers on social media. The airport confirmed the issue and stated that bottled water was being distributed to travelers and staff, alongside other measures to maintain passenger welfare.
Water provider SES Water explained that a power failure at the Bough Beech Water Treatment Works caused low water pressure and temporary supply loss for some customers, including Gatwick. The company is actively working with the airport to restore normal service as quickly as possible.
Some passengers expressed frustration about the lack of communication and visible support. Paul Lee, currently at the airport, told the BBC he had not seen water bottles being handed out and highlighted the difficulties faced by those needing restroom facilities.
Additionally, former MP Michael Dugher commented on social media that the closure of eateries had led to a shortage of seating, with some passengers resorting to sitting on the floor. He called on Gatwick to reopen these spaces to ease passenger discomfort.
Airport officials have yet to provide a detailed timeline for the restoration of full water service.