General · 18 July 2026
Water firms leak 5x what hosepipe bans save daily
Greenpeace UK says water companies in England and Wales lose 2.87 billion litres a day through leaks, compared with 577 million litres a nationwide hosepipe ban would save. Millions of people in southern England are already under hosepipe restrictions, with fines of up to £1,000 for breaking them. Water UK, the industry body, says leaks have fallen 40% since privatisation and promises a further 17% cut by 2030.
Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs