The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) is pushing for a marked improvement from some poor performing water retailers after non-household complaints to the water watchdog more than tripled during the first year of the retail market in England.

In the first of a series of investigations into the state of Britain’s transport infrastructure, The Times newspaper is reporting that the number of utility companies fined for over-running roadworks has doubled in five years “amid warnings that contractors are causing traffic chaos and leaving streets in a crumbling state.”

In a scheme which could save millions if replicated across Manchester, a team headed by Business in the Community (BITC) has built a rain garden and transformed a large area of parking and pathways at Moorlands Junior School in Sale to demonstrate the benefits of sustainable drainage.

New research has found very low levels of awareness around the support systems available to water customers who find themselves in circumstances of vulnerability.