Gatwick Airport experienced a water supply issue affecting both terminals on Sunday, leading to closed toilets and restaurants, the airport confirmed.
Gatwick apologised for the disruption and said the issue was under investigation. Bottled water was made available to passengers and staff as a contingency measure.
SES Water, which supplies parts of Kent, Surrey and south London, said its water treatment works were back up and running after an earlier power outage. The utility confirmed that the outage caused low water pressure or temporary loss for some customers, and that water needed to be treated before normal service could resume.
Roger Wood said restaurants and bars were shut and people could use toilets but without hand washing. Another passenger, Paul Lee, said no water was being distributed and restaurants and lounges were closed, though shops remained open.
Despite the water shortage, flights continued to operate at the UK's second-busiest airport. However, a BBC reporter said his flight from Valencia was delayed due to the disruption and landing slots were being adjusted to reduce flights, though other sources stated flights were not affected. Easyjet advised passengers that bag drop desks would open two hours before departure instead of three due to the water issue.
SES Water delivered bottled water to vulnerable customers and said at 2pm on Sunday that treatment works were operational. The Gatwick area experienced similar water issues in July 2022, when a burst water main affected 1,200 houses and closed toilet facilities.