Southern Water has confirmed that water supplies are “slowly returning” to customers in Southampton, Eastleigh, Romsey, and the new Forest.

It comes after thousands of homes were left without water following a technical issue at Testwood Water Supply Works.

With the water provider now anticipating water to return to homes across the region, they’ve issued guidance on what to expect when the water comes back on.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said: “Discoloured water from your taps is normal after a supply interruption. This is usually temporary and disappears once the network settles.

“If the water is cloudy and white, try leaving it in a glass for a few minutes to see if it clears, this will be air trapped in the water as the pipes refilled.

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“Chlorine smell or taste – this is perfectly normal and comes from the small amounts of chlorine that remain in your supply known as 'chlorine residual.'

“If the water has a brown or black colour, run your tap for a few minutes and it should clear. If this doesn't work, turn the tap off, wait 20 minutes, and try again. It’s fine to use your water as normal when your water runs clear.  

“Sometimes after our water network has been emptied, air locks can occur either in our pipes or customers’ – running taps for a short while can help bring water through.”

For homes that continue to be affected, three bottled water stations remain in place at Staplewood Football Development Centre, Places Leisure Centre, and Asda in Maynard Road, Totton.