With the capital officially in drought after two years of below-average rainfall, the London Assembly will today examine what is being done in the short and longer term to ease pressure on limited water supplies.

Roads, railways, energy and water supply networks and other infrastructure all need to be able to cope with the effects of a changing climate. The first batch in a series of reports produced by organisations which maintain national infrastructure and published by Defra today set out potential risks and solutions – with flooding, coastal and river erosion among the key risks.

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) has welcomed Ofwat’s announcement that it will be recommending the phased opening up to competition of contestable water and sewerage markets.

Wessex Water is making progress with a number of new schemes.