Severn Trent Water is looking at how water trading can be brought about in a plan to flow water from the Midlands into the drought-hit east to help Anglian Water.

Drought has forced seven water companies to introduce water restrictions today, affecting about 20 million people across southern and eastern England.

The water companies have described current UK water use as unsustainable in the face of ongoing drought conditions.

Thames Water has started work on strengthening a burst-prone water main outside Lord’s cricket ground as part of a five-month project. The utility said that reducing water wastage from the network was its top priority in the face of below-average rainfall for 18 months.

Water companies and the public need to plan now for a summer drought to minimise the impacts of a potentially dry winter, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said today.

Action should be taken now to protect water supplies for business, agriculture, the environment and people - thereby minimising the risk of water restrictions in the future, says a new report from the Environment Agency.

United Utilities is urging its customers to conserve water – the company said it needs people to keep taking care with their water usage, because reservoir levels are still lower than they should be.