Ofwat has today opened a new investigation into South East Water following a series of supply interruptions which have seen thousands of households and businesses in Kent and Sussex lose their water supply.

Uisce Éireann has welcomed the publication of the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan by Minister Jack Chambers, T.D., which outlines tangible reforms aimed at addressing the barriers to infrastructure delivery across Ireland.

Ofwat is seeking views on guidance it has issued setting out its approach to enforcement aimed at providing clarity to water companies, customers and other stakeholders - the ultimate sanction is High Court special administration order where the court is satisfied that the company's breach is serious enough to make it inappropriate for the company to continue to hold its appointment or it is or is likely to be unable to pay its debts.

Ofwat has today called on all water companies to take immediate action across eight areas to release the benefits of open data.

Ofwat is seeking to simplify licence conditions for water companies, including proposals to shift the current focus on the bureaucratic form of a Code of Practice on issues including leakage to focussing instead on the information to be provided to customers.