On the morning of July 26, 2026, London Gatwick Airport experienced a water supply disruption affecting both passenger terminals. The issue originated from a power outage at a nearby water treatment facility in the Horley area, which caused a reduction or loss of water pressure for the airport.
The outage impacted essential passenger services including toilet flushing, hand washing, access to hot drinks, and water bottle refilling stations within the terminals. Airport restaurants suspended operations, limiting food service availability.
Contingency Measures and Flight Operations
In response to the water supply interruption, Gatwick Airport provided bottled water to passengers and staff as part of contingency measures.
The airport assured that welfare support systems were activated to manage the situation.
SES Water, the regional water supplier, confirmed the disruption was linked to the power failure at the treatment plant near Horley, which caused various supply complications including low water pressure for customers, specifically affecting Gatwick. The utility company coordinated closely with airport authorities to restore normal water service promptly.
Despite the disruption to passenger amenities and restaurant closures, Gatwick Airport authorities confirmed that all flight operations and schedules continued without interruption.
