Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is thanking its customers for helping protect water supplies this summer following the driest spring in over 100 years, confirming that most of its reservoirs are in a healthy position.

The Environment Agency has today announced that the East and West Midlands have officially entered a drought following an extended period of hot weather and the driest June since 1976.

A number of areas across eastern Scotland are now within a week of reaching Significant Scarcity according to the latest data from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Southern Water is calling on households across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to ditch their hosepipes from today to protect the environment and keep taps running through the hot summer.

The National Drought Group (NDG) met yesterday and agreed to step up its operational response as a drought was declared in the West and East Midlands.

Yorkshire Water has thanked customers for putting the hosepipes away, using water wisely and continuing to report leaks over the hot weekend.

The Environment Agency has declared drought status for the West Midlands and East Midlands following the driest spring in 132 years.

Following Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s claim that Britain’s way of life is “under threat” from climate change, local planning authorities (LPAs) are being urged to mandate rainwater harvesting across all new infrastructure projects, from residential developments to high-rise commercial buildings.

Thames Water will implement a Temporary Use Ban - known as a hosepipe ban hosepipe ban - for the Thames Valley region which includes areas with a postcode starting with OX, GL, SN and RG4, RG8 and RG9 stasrting from next week.

The Met Office is warning that its annual climate stocktake shows weather records and extremes now the norm in the UK.