Thames Water has started work on strengthening a burst-prone water main outside Lord’s cricket ground as part of a five-month project. The utility said that reducing water wastage from the network was its top priority in the face of below-average rainfall for 18 months.

Water companies and the public need to plan now for a summer drought to minimise the impacts of a potentially dry winter, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said today.

Action should be taken now to protect water supplies for business, agriculture, the environment and people - thereby minimising the risk of water restrictions in the future, says a new report from the Environment Agency.

United Utilities is urging its customers to conserve water – the company said it needs people to keep taking care with their water usage, because reservoir levels are still lower than they should be.