Britain could face the prospect of problems with clean drinking water availability, according to leaked no-deal Brexit documents published in The Sunday Times newspaper yesterday.

The issue is among a raft of warnings contained in the documents, which the newspaper says “set out the most likely aftershocks of a no-deal Brexit rather than worst-case scenarios.”

An extract from the documents which specifically covers food and water states:

“Public water services are likely to remain largely unaffected,thanks to actions now being taken by the water companies.”…“Water companies are well prepared for any disruption: they have significant stocks of all critical chemicals, extensive monitoring of their chemicals supply chains (including transport and deliveries) and sharing agreements in place.”

However, the extract also warns:

The most significant single risk is a failure in the chemicals supply chain. The likelihood of this is considered low, and the impact is likely to be local, affecting only hundreds of thousands of people.”

“In the event of a supply chain failure, or the need to respond rapidly to other water supply incidents, urgent action may need to be taken to make sure people continue to have access to clean water.”

The Sunday Times points out that Boris Johnson had “repeatedly assured voters during the Tory leadership campaign that there would be clean drinking water in the event of now deal.”

During the Bournemouth ​Conservative leadership hustings in June Johnson said the UK would still have “Mars Bars and clean drinking water” in a No Deal Brexit outcome.