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	Recent ''Latest News''
	November 2006:
		A Proposals Document on Water Reform Published by The General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland proposes that the Government should make an immediate commitment to implement universal metering in all households, with built-in protection for vulnerable consumers. Universal metering must be implemented in a phased and targeted way with completion within a 3–5 year period as a maximum. People should be allowed to pay on the basis of what they use through a metered tariff, as is the case with electricity and gas, and reflects common water payment practice across Europe, North America and beyond. The cost of introducing the universal metering system (current Government estimate of £120 million) should be spread over a 20-year period rather than as a one-off cost as indicated by the Government. This works out at around £8.50 per household per year based on the maximum possible estimated cost. A fully metered tariff should be used. In principle this could be based on a block-increasing tariff i.e. the more you use the more you pay. There would also be a minimum payment level. Those who receive a free water allowance would not start paying a metered tariff until they exceeded their allowance. Until universal metering is fully introduced the existing rates system should be used as the primary method of recovering costs. Existing consumer protection available under rates should be applied and encouraged. Legislation must require developers to put meters into all new homes with immediate effect.
	3rd October2006:
		Thames Water withdraws application for London Drought Order Thames Water surprisingly announced that it has withdrawn its application to Defra for a Drought Order for London. The company also thanked customers for their efforts to reduce water use and appealed to them to continue the good work, as the long-term drought is far from over. Hosepipe & Sprinkler Bans astill exist by the following water companies: Cholderton & District, Mid Kent, Southern, South East, Sutton & East Surrey, Thames and Three Valleys. Generally, recent rainfall has not made significant difference to water levels in reservoirs and aquifiers. After 23 months of below-average rainfall levels are expeced to remain low.
	1st Sptember2006:
		Folkestone & Dover Water lifts hosepipe ban Following the recent prolonged rainy period, Folkestone & Dover Water has now lifted all restrictions, but urged customers to use water wisely. The company’s Environment Director, Richard Aylard, said: ''There is still a drought, but it isn’t getting any worse, and we don’t need to bring in any more restrictions beyond the existing hosepipe and sprinkler ban. The situation has changed since we applied for a Drought Order for London on 26 June. We took that decision as a sensible precaution, because there was a possibility that we might need to bring in additional restrictions. We planned on the basis that getting a Drought Order could take up to 12 weeks, and we had to keep in mind that we might receive as little as half the average rainfall over that period. ''
	30th August 2006:
		Drought Orders & Hosepipe bans likely to continue despite August rain The wet August has made no significant difference to the parched reservoirs in the South East as an dry June and July saw only 65 per cent of the average rainfall for the months. Most of the rain has just been absorbed into the top-soil. Although the drought has stabilised, there is little likelihood of drought orders and hosepipe bans being eased this year. The hosepipe bans has seen a decrease of 15 per cent in water consumption. Had this decrease not occurred, there could have seen a spread of both drought orders and hosepipe bans.
	13th August 2006:
		Millions risk £1000 fine by flouting Hosepipe bans According to polls carried out this week, around one third of households are ignoring hosepipe bans and continue to water their gardens. The reasons given for this does not appear to be mass selfishness but ''If the Water Companies can waste it though leaks, why should I bother?'' Very few people have so far received letters from Suppliers about their flouting of the regulations, and there are no reports of fines actually being claimed. Perhaps the Water Companies do have a conscience....
	10th August 2006:
		Thames Water - Huge Profits - Huge Leaks Thames Water's German owner, RW, today announced half-yearly profits of £2.76 billion - a rise of 19%. RWE did not provide detailed figures for Thames Water but said that the rise in profits was due to price increases. The company, who has owned Thames for seven years, has put it up for sale and after and expects to make a large profit. Thames Water is the UK's largest water supplier with 13 million customers in the southeast. It has not met leakage targets since being purchased by RWE and lost 196 millions gallons daily last year. OFWAT caused outrage in July by allowing Thames to leak a further 7.7 million gallons per day instead of imposing a large penalty to failure to fix the leaks.
	7th August 2006:
		Panorama (BBC1) on Sunday 6th August showed an interview with Andrew Morrell who decided to reduce his water bill by the percentage that his Water Company wasted through leaks. His Water Supplier. Thames Water loses 33% of it's supply through leaks and he says ''I was a bit shocked, I don't normally seek any sort of publicity for my opinions or concerns but this is one of the few times where I feel the consumer has been poorly treated and badly let down with regard to a vital natural resource. I knew that total non-payment would not be fair to Thames Water as they are still delivering the water that I need for essential household activities albeit that the garden is now looking like a cricket pitch! So how about a measured response where we all pay the bill but subtract an amount in direct proportion to the leaks by our water companies?''
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