Last updated: 6 October 2026 at 20:20 BST.
In short
- Southern Water is repairing a burst linked to low pressure or no water around BN3 2JG, near the western end of Western Road and Palmeira Square.
- The company’s latest published update, timed 15:20 on Tuesday 6 October, said a repair team was on site but gave no restoration time.
- Brighton and Hove City Council said contractors working on Western Road had discovered two existing leaks in Southern Water pipes.
- Residents should check the official incident page and report continued supply problems directly to Southern Water.
A Western Road water outage and low-pressure incident remained listed by Southern Water on Tuesday evening after leaks were found beneath the road during major reconstruction work.
The company’s live incident page identifies the affected area as BN3 2JG and describes the problem as a supply interruption caused by a burst. Its latest published update at 15:20 said a team was on site carrying out repairs and would restore supplies as soon as possible. No estimated restoration time had been published when Brighton Locals checked at 20:15.
What happened on Western Road?
Brighton and Hove News reported that hundreds of homes and businesses lost running water as part of Western Road flooded during the reconstruction project. The report cited the council as saying contractors had discovered two existing leaks in pipes owned by Southern Water.
The descriptions are not identical: the council referred to two leaks, while Southern Water’s public incident update refers to a burst and one supply-interruption record. Until the repair is complete or a fuller technical account is published, it would be unsafe to assume that the online record covers every leak found under the road.
BN3 2JG covers addresses around Adelaide Crescent and the western end of Western Road near Palmeira Square. Supply effects may extend beyond a single postcode, so households elsewhere should use Southern Water’s postcode checker rather than assuming they are outside the incident.
Why the Western Road water outage matters locally
The burst has appeared during a 45-day closure between Holland Road and Montpelier Road. The council’s official works programme says crews are removing the damaged concrete base and rebuilding the road in layers because cracking and voids had developed underneath it.
Finding and repairing water infrastructure while the road is already open for deep construction may reduce the risk of having to excavate the rebuilt surface later. The immediate trade-off is added disruption for residents and businesses already dealing with restricted access and diverted buses.
This water incident is separate from the political decision over the proposed Western Road red route. Brighton Locals is tracking that decision on its existing Western Road red route review page; the council had not published the scrutiny committee’s outcome when this service update was written.
What residents and businesses should do
- Check the live incident: use Southern Water’s BN3 2JG update for the next repair notice.
- Report no water or low pressure: use the company’s report-a-problem service or call its 24-hour Leakline on 0800 820 999.
- After supply returns: Southern Water says temporary low pressure or discolouration can occur after a disruption. Follow its published advice if the problem persists.
- If you need extra assistance: Southern Water’s Priority Services Register can help customers with disabilities, illnesses or other additional needs during supply interruptions.
- Keep a record: note when supply stopped and returned. Ofwat’s guaranteed standards may provide payments when service standards are missed, although exceptions and eligibility rules apply.
Brighton Locals’ view
Our judgement: repairing the pipes before Western Road is rebuilt is sensible, but the public information is too thin for an incident affecting homes and trading premises. Southern Water should publish a restoration estimate, the streets or postcodes affected and whether the two leaks identified by the council are being handled under one incident.
Residents should not have to combine a council statement, a media report and a postcode entry to understand whether their supply is likely to return tonight.
What to watch next
The next meaningful update is a confirmed restoration time or notice that supplies have returned. Brighton Locals will also watch for any change to the roadworks schedule and any explanation of whether the leaks affect the rebuilt carriageway timetable.
Bottom line
A repair team is on site, but Southern Water has not published a completion time. Check the official incident page, report continued problems and keep a record of the length of any interruption.
Featured photograph: Western Road, Hove, photographed in June 2013 before the current works and water incident. Photo by Paul Gillett via Geograph, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0. The image is a file photograph and does not show the October 2026 leak.
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