Almost 4,000 homes were left without water on Sunday after a pipe burst, as millions across the country are affected by hosepipe bans.
Residents of Soham in Cambridgeshire were affected for hours after a water main burst near the A142.
Anglian Water, which supplies the area, said the issue had now been resolved, but asked people to be “considerate” of their water usage as the country faces its third heatwave of the year.
Temperatures hit 24C in Soham yesterday according to the Met Office, with the temperatures soaring to over 31C in Achnagart, Scotland.
Almost 4,000 homes were left without water on Sunday after a pipe burst as millions across the country are affected by hosepipe bans
PA
Anglian Water had already seen a similar situation in May of this year, when a burst pipe left 600 homes without water in March, Cambridgeshire.
The situation comes as drought conditions and water shortages continue to hit the country after the driest spring since 1893.
Thames Water has today introduced a hosepipe ban which will impact millions of customers.
The ban will be implemented across Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire and some parts of Berkshire on July 22.
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Strategic water resources director at Thames Water Nevil Muncaster said: “Given the continued warm, dry weather we do not anticipate that the situation will improve any time soon so we have to take action now.”
Thames Water is not the only company to introduce such ban, with Yorkshire Water being the first firm to introduce restrictions this year.
The ban was launched in Yorkshire on July 11, affecting five million people and with fines of up to £1,000 in place for anyone who breaches the ban without permission from the water company.
South East Water is also set to introduce a hosepipe ban from July 18, meaning people living in Kent and Sussex will be restricted in their usage.
A ban was also implemented in the region during the summers of 2022 and 2023.
The company has said it will “continue to monitor” the situation in the parts of Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire which it supplies.
In June, a report from the Environment Agency said England’s public water supply could be facing serious shortages unless “urgent action” is taken.
The supply could be short by 5 billion litres a day by 2055, equivalent to the volume of 4.5 Wembley Stadiums.
South East Water is also set to introduce a hosepipe ban from July 18, meaning people living in Kent and Sussex will be restricted in their usage.
GETTY IMAGESHowever, after a third heatwave last weekend, the weather is set to change, and Britain is expected to see heavy thunderstorms this week.
NetWeather’s senior forecaster Nick Finnis said the thunderstorms could “pose a risk of excessive rainfall in a short space of time leading to flash-flooding, hail and gusty winds.”
Northern England and Scotland will get the brunt of the bad weather, while the south of the country continues to stay warmer and drier.
Experts have warned it is unsettled Atlantic weather patterns which are to blame for the bad weather predicted this week.