Water supply

South East CEO apologises ahead of hosepipe ban

Smart meters needed ‘quickly’ to tackle water shortages

Farmland could be used to store millions of litres of water

Farmland has the potential to store up to 10 million megalitres of water per hectare, a study has shown. The work by Atkins to use whole farms as reservoirs was undertaken to address issues of winter flood risk and summer drought. By using geographic features and careful management water can be held back for use when and where it is required.

Anglian halves sewer blockages

Water sector must end its ‘fix on fail’ mindset

Water demand up 20% in Scotland

NIC: Water efficiency policies do not go far enough

Hosepipe ban in South East following record demand

Dry weather pushes water demand up 20% in South East

Anglian customers demand compensation for supply problems

Hundreds of Anglian Water customers are demanding compensation for dealing with persistent supply problems. A petition, debated in the House of Commons this week, calls for Anglian to “adequately address the very many ongoing concerns and poor service across South Northamptonshire”. Signed by more than 200 residents in eight villages and towns, the petition bemoans pressure fluctuations, a series of burst mains and delays to repair damaged pipes.

Scots told to curb water use after consumption surge

Scottish Water is calling on its customers to reduce their water consumption with forecasts of more dry weather to come. The appeal comes following a dramatic increase in water usage among Scottish Water customers. In total, Scots are using an average of 180 litres of water per person per day, some 45 litres more than those living south of the border.  

Wessex fined for providing undrinkable water

Wessex Water has been hit with a £280,000 fine after it provided customers with undrinkable water for three weeks. The company has also agreed to pay out more than £21,000 to its affected customers. The fine was handed down by Swindon Magistrates following prosecution by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

Thames sets out £32bn drainage plan

Water firms failed to supply bottles to thousands during freeze

Two water companies failed to adequately supply bottled water to thousands of customers cut off during freeze thaw events over the winter. Ofwat has told South East and Southern Water that they must “make significant improvements” to their emergency response procedures after supply failures in December 2022. The regulator’s order comes following an investigation into the freeze thaw events which affected all regions last winter.

Why AI Matters in the Water Industry