Water supply has been restored to most of Gatwick airport after passengers spent hours without access to working toilets, and bars and restaurants were closed.
Most toilets had reopened across both terminals on Sunday evening, with the remaining facilities, including bars and restaurants, expected to return to normal for the first of Monday’s flights.
Although flights were unaffected, toilets in both terminals were out of use, cafes, restaurants and bars were shut, and taps were either not running at all or running with low pressure since Sunday morning.
Announcing that the water, supplied by SES Water, had been restored, Gatwick airport said: “Following an issue at the Bough Beech water treatment works which impacted the local area today, we are pleased to report that the water supply has now returned to the vast majority of the London Gatwick campus.
“Most toilet facilities are now open and we expect all toilets – as well as food and beverage outlets – to be open for tomorrow’s first flights. Since becoming aware of the issue, we have been working closely with @SESWater and our airport partners to help minimise the impact, and ensure all today’s flights departed as scheduled.”
Earlier on Sunday, passengers posted online that they were unable to get hot drinks, wash their hands or fill water bottles at the airport in Sussex.
The problem also had an impact in the wider Sussex and Kent area, water suppliers said.
SES Water said there had been interruptions to water supplies in parts of the TN11, RH1, RH6 and RH10 postcode areas.
At 2pm the company had said its Bough Beech water treatment works were running again but the water needed to be treated before services could return to normal.
On Facebook, one user posted: “Gasping for a drink & crossing my legs right now. This is ridiculous! Gatwick airport has shut all restaurants and most toilets due to a water outage. Not a great start to the holiday.”
The former MP and recently appointed government “music champion” Michael Dugher wrote on social media: “At least allow people to use the chairs in all the closed restaurants and bars. No water is one thing, but depriving people of somewhere to sit is another … Families are having to sit on the floor.”
Roger Wood, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, arrived at Gatwick’s south terminal at about 11am on Sunday to fly to New York. He told reporters: “There was no communication. We arrived at 11ish and it had only started recently.
“We met friends at the bar but they couldn’t serve us as they were unable to wash their hands. I’ve never seen Wetherspoons empty. No idea when it’ll be resolved. The toilets also lacked water to wash hands.”
