Many homes across southern England are still without water - with no guarantee of it being restored for Christmas Day

Some residents in Hampshire, Sussex, Hertfordshire, Essex and Kent have been without a water supply for the past week and are being told to pick up bottles from stations that in some cases are miles away from those who need them.

Water companies across the country said the rapid change in temperature – nearly 20C difference in some places – caused many pipes to burst.

On Friday, Southern Water said it now believes it is able to meet levels of demand after restricting access to residents in Southampton and the surrounding areas.

In a statement published online, the company said: ‘Our water supply works are stable and our reservoir storage is topped up. This means that we can now allow water to flow through our network and customers will see water supply in their homes over the coming hours.

‘We’ll be increasing supply gradually as we re-pressurise the network to avoid pipes bursting. This means that it’s going to take a few hours for all our customers to be back in supply, and for some this could be this evening.’

Writing on social media, Affinity Water said it is trying to rebuild water capacity in the network and apologised to those in Essex and in Bishop’s Stortford who are still without a supply.

South East Water also said in an online statement residents in Tunbridge Wells are experiencing low pressure because the firm is still repairing pipes – but all its Sussex residents should see their water return today.

However, many have criticised South East Water for saying their water will return by a certain time and then failing to meet that deadline.

Southern Water said on Wednesday evening: ‘We’re sorry that our customers in SO15 – Southampton; SO16 – Bassett, Nursling, Millbrook, Chilworth, Chilworth Village Lord’s Hill; SO19 – Bitterne; SO21 – Compton, Compton Down, Hursley, Otterbourne, Shawford, Twyford; SO22 – Badger Farm; SO31 – Bursledon; SO50 – Eastleigh; SO51 – Ampfield, Braishfield; SO52 – North Baddesley; and SO53 Chandlers Ford are without water.

‘We are expecting more customers in the wider Yew Hill area – SO15, SO16, SO18, SO19, SO21, SO22, SO30, SO31, SO50, SO51, SO52, SO53 to lose either water pressure or supply in the coming few hours.

‘It’s likely that this loss of pressure or water supply to your home will continue for at least the next 48 hours.’

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South East Water said on Wednesday it is ‘committed to getting its customers who are currently without water back in supply by Christmas Day if not sooner’.

The firm said there had been a 300 per cent increase in the number of bursts, and chief executive David Hinton told BBC South East Today about 5,000 properties were still affected on Wednesday.

In Tunbridge Wells, water will remain off until Thursday morning.

A South East Water statement said: ‘It is impossible to predict which pipes will burst and where, and we’re working 24 hours a day to find and repair these bursts and leaks as quickly as possible.

‘We have also used tankers to inject more water into the system to keep supplies going for as long as possible.

‘We’re seeing a lot of demand on the network and ask you to check your lofts, airing cupboards and outside taps for leaks if you’re able to.’

Emergency supplies of bottled water have been delivered to towns and villages.

Southern Water said in a statement: ‘Throughout the day, our teams have worked hard to minimise the impact of restricting water to our customers.

‘The significant pressure on our network means that demand continues to outstrip supply. We have had to make some difficult decisions to ensure that we protect critical infrastructure across Hampshire such as local hospitals.’

The firm said bottled water stations had been opened in Hampshire at the east and south park and rides in Winchester and Places Leisure in Eastleigh.

The statement added: “More bottled water stations will be opening tomorrow and we’ll confirm locations and times on our social media channels and on our website.

“We are very sorry for the disruption and inconvenience this is causing, particularly in the days before Christmas. We are working as hard as we can resume services by Sunday.”

This disruption applies in Hampshire to areas supplied by Southern Water.

In the Portsmouth Water supply area, which includes most of The News’ area, there have have been burst mains in North Bersted near Bognor Regis and in Chichester but both have ben repaired, the company said.