CAMPAIGNERS demanded the government “step in and withdraw South East Water’s operating licence” after the water firm’s chief executive resigned today following major supply outages.

David Hinton stepped down only a week after the firm’s chairman Chris Train quit following the publication of a damning report from MPs.

South East Water bosses were recently grilled by the environment, food and rural affairs committee over their response to thousands of customers being left without water due to supply interruptions in Kent and Sussex between November and January.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “This must mark the beginning of positive change at South East Water, where customers’ needs are prioritised and there is a stop to supply outages.”

We Own It said that “the public has lost confidence in the firm” after Mr Hinton quit.

The public ownership campaign group’s Sophie Conquest said: “While it is gratifying to see this resignation, what we need is not the resignation of individual managers or board members, but a new way forward.

“The resignation of the CEO does not deal with the fact that the company’s shareholders are gorging the company full of debt and extracting extortionate interest rates.

“We need to run our water the way 90 per cent of the world runs water, in public ownership. The government should step in and withdraw South East Water’s operating licence.”

We Own It said that 100,000 people had signed onto a petition demanding a referendum on public ownership of water companies.

Mr Hinton is to stay in the position until the end of this summer while the supplier looks for a new successor.

South East Water was contacted for comment.