The National Infrastructure Commission has warned that households face a high risk of having their water cut off in times of severe drought, unless utilities halve leakage and build a new grid to transport supplies around the country. The report urges the government to ‘immediately’ start adopting a twin track approach to boost supplies while cutting demand, and that Ofwat should launch a competition for a national network that would transfer water from areas of surplus to those that need it. The Commission also advocates new reservoirs and desalination plants, whilst all companies, not just those in water stressed regions, should to be able to apply for compulsory metering alongside other water efficiency measures. Click here to read the NIC report