Severn Trent looks to preserve hosepipe ban record

Severn Trent Water said it was making record investments to secure the water supply for its region

A water company has said it is doing everything in its power to maintain its 30-year record of not declaring a hosepipe ban.

Severn Trent's comments come after the announcement on Tuesday of a drought in the Midlands region, following another spell of hot and dry weather.

The Coventry-based company said it had "thousands of employees working around the clock right now to keep the water flowing".

It said it was also fixing more leaks than ever before and spending record amounts on new pipes and on improving its treatment works.

The Environment Agency announcement of a drought in the Midlands followed England's driest start to the year since 1976, leaving many rivers across the region at extremely low levels.

Severn Trent said despite its efforts "we can't escape how hot and dry it is and how little rainfall we've had this year".

For that reason, it said it was asking customers to be thoughtful with their water use and take steps to avoid waste.

It said that included turning taps off when not in use, fixing leaks and fitting water-saving features, such as a shower timer.