Gatwick Airport experienced a temporary shutdown of toilets and drinking fountains on Sunday, one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, due to a water shortage. The airport attributed the disruption to its water supplier, Sutton and East Surrey Water, which it said had failed to inform the airport about issues with water supply in advance.

According to Gatwick officials, the water company was aware of problems with water being pumped from a reservoir the previous day but did not notify the airport. This lack of communication led to several hours during which passengers and staff faced limited access to essential water facilities.

The incident also affected hospitality services within the airport. Pubs operated by Wetherspoon, owned by Sir Tim Martin, were forced to close temporarily. Martin commented on the situation, stating that the full cause of the water supply failure had yet to be determined.

Sutton and East Surrey Water has not publicly responded to the airport’s claims or provided an explanation for the alleged lack of warning. The disruption highlights vulnerabilities in infrastructure communication during periods of high demand at major travel hubs.

Airport officials emphasized efforts to restore normal services swiftly and apologized for the inconvenience caused to travelers. Further investigations into the incident are underway to prevent similar occurrences in the future.