Hosepipe Ban

Ofwat has amended South East Water’s Conditions of Appointment to allow it to replace Mid Kent Water as the water service provider for nearly 250,000 customers in the Kent area. This will give effect to the merger of South East Water and Mid Kent Water, which was cleared by the Competition Commission...

So at last we have an updating of the hosepipe ban laws that were first written in 1945. Perhaps a forward-thinking government would have had them in place in the spring of 2006 (or even 2004) when we really needed them rather than the Autumn of 2007 when they will only mean anything in the Spring of...

The government has confirmed that the current hosepipe ban rules created in 1945 are to be updated. This is the full statement issued by the Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) this morning: A 62 year old law governing the use of hosepipes in times of drought will be updated following...

Customers can be assured that their water supplies are secure, according to Ofwat’s ‘Security of Supply 2006-07′ report published today. The report looks at how well companies have managed to balance their supply of water against the demand by their customers in a way that ensures they...

Ofwat has appointed a new water and sewerage company – the first new company to offer both services since privatisation – by granting its twelfth inset appointment. Inset appointments allow for one supplier to be replaced by another for a specific geographical area. SSE Water (SSEW) will...

Ofwat today published its proposals to fine Thames Water a total of £12.5 million. The economic regulator plans to fine the company £11.1million (0.8% of 2006-07 turnover) for failing to provide it with robust information and £1.4million (0.1% of 2005-6 turnover) because poor processes and systems...

Water companies are continuing to invest to deliver environmental and water quality improvement, according to a report published by Ofwat today. The Financial performance and expenditure of the water companies in England and Wales 2006-07 report provides a comparison between the industry’s actual...

Water companies in England and Wales still have much work ahead of them – despite improving performance and pumping over £4.3 billion into maintaining existing assets and investing in new facilities in 2006-2007, according to Ofwat. The water regulator has examined annual returns from the 22 water...

Water companies in England and Wales reduced the amount of water lost to leakage by nearly 160 million litres of water (Ml/d) a day. This is equal to the daily needs of around one million domestic consumers. Figures released by Ofwat today reveal that for 2006-07 overall leakage fell: from 3,575 Ml/d...

The Consumer Council for Water Thames is encouraged to learn that Thames Water has achieved its leakage target this year as a result of accelerating its pipe replacement work. The water company today also announced profits of £270 million, – a decrease of 22% on last year’s figures. David...