The Environment Agency is stepping up its response to tackle the mounting impacts of continued dry weather and coordinate action to maintain water supplies and manage the other risks associated with drought.

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is continuing to encourage its three million-plus customers to use water wisely in order to safeguard water supplies following the hottest June in Wales since records began in 1910.

United Utilities is planning to implement a temporary use ban affecting seven million people in the north-west of England from 5 August – the measure means customers will be banned from using hosepipes to water gardens or wash cars.

Irish Water has confirmed that a National Water Conservation Order - commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban - will be in place from 8am today until midnight on Tuesday 31 July 2018.

The GMB Congress Conference has dismissed “notions of a ¯market for water for households as irrelevant” and called on “all concerned to recognise that water is a natural monopoly.”

The Environmental Audit Committee will today hear oral evidence from water experts as part of its ongoing inquiry into how the UK is planning on adapting to the growing risk of heatwaves resulting from climate change,

Thames Water chief executive Steve Robertson has welcomed today’s report by the National Infrastructure Commission which is warning the Government that England faces taps running dry without urgent infrastructure improvements.

The Government is being warned that England’s homes and businesses could face having their water supplies cut off in times of severe drought, if the water industry does not improve infrastructure and water efficiency.

A new UN report on the state of the world’s water is warning that 5 billion people could be facing water shortages by 2050 as a result of increased demand, pollution and climate change.

A landmark research study shows the impact of flooding, droughts and heatwaves by 2050-2100 will exceed previous predictions – and could put European cities “beyond breaking point”.