South East Water reports £74m loss after year of extreme weather

Ardingly Reservoir during a drought. South East Water said it had to manage the lowest rainfall in Sussex since 1911 and all-time-high demand for water. Photograph: Julia Gavin/Alamy

South East Water has reported a pre-tax loss of nearly £75m, which it blamed in part on the cost of dealing with last year’s “extreme weather events” including the record-breaking heatwave.

The water firm, which supplies 2.2 million customers in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey, said the weather events cost it £17m.