Water firms missing leak targets
July 14, 2005
Two water providers in England have failed to meet official targets to cut leaks, amid warnings Britons could face more water shortages this summer.
Thames Water, in the south, and United Utilities, in the north-west, failed to meet conditions set by regulator Ofwat.
In Thames' area, nearly a third of the water leaks away before it reaches customers, the BBC's Nils Blythe said.
Thames Water says it is in the early stages of a £500m programme to fix the leakiest pipes in its supply network.
Dry winter
But the Environment Agency said both companies have to do more to stop leaks - it is the third year running Thames water has missed the target.
"The agency's chief executive has warned people in southern England to expect more hosepipe bans this summer. The area has had one of the driest winters for the last 100 years," our business correspondent added.
Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and the Thames Valley have had only about two thirds of their average rainfall since November 2004.
The Environment Agency has already called on water companies to restrict water consumption "sooner rather than later" to avoid worse problems later in the summer.
Thames Water is starting to use its contingency reserve under north London - the company said it had not had to tap into its contingency reserve since 1997.
Print this page