Wet year but use water 'wisely'
Homeowners and businesses have been urged to use water "wisely" despite one of the wettest years on record in 2012.
South's water bills hike
Householders in the South are to be hit with the largest increase in water bills this year.
Water firm defends restrictions
Two of the region's water firms have lifted their hosepipe bans. However, South East Water's ban remains. Meridian asked the firm why.
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South East Water defends ban
On the day two water companies announce restrictions are to be lifted, South East Water says it will keep it's hosepipe bans in place.
Read the full storyMonsoons end hosepipe ban
Two water companies have announced a lift on hosepipe bans in the South.
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Hosepipe bans are to be lifted
After two days of flooding it's hoped people can begin clearing up their homes in West Sussex today. Southern Water and Thames Water have both announced the end of their hosepipe bans.
Has the sun come too late for our fruit trees?
Is one day of sunshine going to be enough to save our fruit crops in the Garden of England? Sangeeta spoke to Mike Roser at the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale in Kent, and asked him what effect the drought and then the wettest April on record has had on the fruit trees?
Fruit farmers suffer in deluge
A month of wet weather has helped alleviate the drought but has it been too much for our fruit crops?
Read the full storyBoreholes in the Thames Valley are low, despite rain.
Despite the recent downpours, boreholes used to measure ground water in the Thames Valley are empty.
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Bore holes still dry, as drought continues
Despite the recent downpours, bore holes across the Thames Valley are dry. Thames Water says some of its measuring stations are so dry that engineers cannot get a reading.
Water companies ban hosepipes
4 water companies in the South will ban the use of hosepipes, as the region struggles to cope with a prolonged drought. Southern Water, Thames Water, South East Water and Veolia South East will fine customers £1000 if they are caught;
- watering a ‘garden’ using a hosepipe;
- cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe;
- watering plants using a hosepipe;
- cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe;
- filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool;
- drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use;
- filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe;
- filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain;
- cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe;
- cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe;
- cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe.
Millions of litres wasted
by David Meikle
Thames Water is wasting millions of litres of water a day through leaking pipes.
Read the full storyWater supplies disrupted
Around eight hundred homes in Witney in Oxfordshire have had their water supply disrupted due to a burst water main. Thames Water is battling to bring the leak under control. It comes as the company today confirmed it's one of seven operators introducing a hose pipe ban next month.
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