Thanks again for reading our live coverage of the Hampshire water outages. We are pausing now for this evening, but will resume tomorrow from 06:00 if the issues continue.

The latest update, external continued to explain the number of homes with water restored was "increasing steadily and will continue to do so throughout the night".

It also reminded customers of what to expect as water returns, warning it might be slow to come out of the tap or there may be low pressure.

Other factors to expect include discoloured or cloudy water and a chlorine smell or taste.

The statement explained if the water was brown or black in colour, to run the tap for a few minutes and it should clear.

If this does not work, people are adviser to turn their taps off, wait for 20 minutes, and try again.

A new update released by Southern Water at 20:00 GMT confirmed more customers have had their supplies restored.

The firm said 38,000 properties, which is 67% of those impacted, now have their water back.

The latest update, external from Southern Water continues:

"While supply returns for many customers, we will continue to keep our bottled water stations open. They are currently scheduled to close at 10pm.

"We’ve now opened a fourth station, which is located in Calshot Road Car Park, Calshot, SO45 1BS."

These are the four locations which all close at 10pm:

• Staplewood Football Development Centre, Marchwood, Southampton, SO40 4WR
• Places Leisure Centre, Passfield Avenue, Eastleigh, SO50 9NL
• ASDA, Maynard Road, Totton, Southampton, SO40 3ZA
• Calshot Road Car Park, Calshot, SO45 1BS

The firm added that it had brought in a third contractor "to help us accelerate delivery to households on the [priority register]".

It said its next update would be at 20:00.

Southern Water has posted an update on its website, external where it says 31,000 properties have now had their supplies restored, or 53% of the total.

The company said some customers would temporarily see a lower pressure than normal as it fills up the network, or water that is not completely clear, which is said was "completely normal".The post added: "If your water has not returned yet, please make sure your taps are all turned off to avoid any flooding."

There has been more disruption for thousands of people across south Hampshire as they spent a second day with no water supplies.

Schools have been closed, a hospital and businesses disrupted, and thousands have had to seek emergency supplies of water.

Reporter Jamie Morris spent the day finding out about the human cost of the problems.

It's been revealed tonight that Southern Water will be the first water company to appear before MPs to discuss the water outages.

Southern has received the highest bill-rise settlement of all the companies in the price review - but concerns have been raised.

BBC South Today's Steve Humphrey has been speaking to Tim McMahon, a director from Southern Water.

You can see more from a day of disruption for thousands on BBC iPlayer here.

Our reporter Edward Sault has been following the story through the day for BBC South Today.

He's been meeting some of the people and businesses affected by the outages and hearing from local politicians.

You can see more on the Southern Water problems, including an interview with the company on BBC iPlayer here, and on BBC One at 18:30 GMT.

Southern Water was let down by a contractor which failed to supply sufficient bottled water to emergency stations, it has been reported.

The firm revealed the issue at a briefing for local authorities and politicians earlier.

One attendee, who asked not to be named, said: "They were let down by their bottled water supplier yesterday, hence the mayhem at the bottled water stations."

Another said the contractor only supplied three lorry-loads initially, when 14 were needed.

Bottled water will continue to be distributed at Places Leisure Centre in Eastleigh tomorrow, Southern Water has said.

The emergency station is due to reopen at 08:00.

There is no news yet on the firm's two other stations at Staplewood Football Development Centre in Marchwood and Asda in Totton.

Southern Water has given few details of the cause of the water supply issue that started on Wednesday morning.

However, local authorities and politicians were briefed this morning.

Speaking off the record, people at the meeting said the problems happened during work to upgrade Testwood Water Supply Works.

One said a complete shutdown was needed to install new ultraviolet lamps, which disinfect supplies.

Another said: "They were replacing part of the machinery and when they put it back on live, it didn't work."

The attendees said there was no mention at the meeting of unclean water being piped to customers.

Almost 60,000 homes in and around Southampton have been without water.

Southern Water said that, as of about 15:45, about 40% of customers affected by the outage - about 25,000 homes and business - will be "starting to see supply resume".

It said in a statement: "We are working hard to restore supplies to everyone impacted and are hoping to have everyone on supply by the end of the day.

"However, properties may still be affected by airlocks until the whole supply system refills over the next 24 hours."

The Conservative leader of Hampshire County Council has issued a statement, following a briefing from Southern Water this morning.

Image source, Hampshire County Council

Darren Talbot, from Holbury, said his household is listed on Southern Water’s Priority Services Register but that a bottled supply had not arrived.

His son Jaxxon had a gastrostomy earlier this year and they need water so a tube that takes food straight into his stomach is clean.

Mr Talbot said that yesterday his family was hoping the water supply was quickly restored or that water would be delivered. Neither happened.

“Southern Water sent us a message saying the bottled water station was in Eastleigh [about 20 miles away]. So you have to juggle looking after kids, going to work and then trying to find time to get over to Eastleigh.

“Everyone’s already juggling family, work, presents. You throw this in the mix, you’ve got to be Superman or Superwoman to make it happen.”

In the end, a friend picked up water from the Eastleigh water station for him.

The water firm's chief executive was given a £764,000 pay package earlier this year, including an £183,600 bonus.

Lawrence Gosden was appointed the company's boss in July 2022.

Southern Water's chief financial officer, Stuart Ledger, also received a £128,000 bonus, taking his total pay to £610,000, the BBC reported in July.

After what has been a rocky few days for Southern Water, news that the company's bosses have been asked to appear before MPs is unlikely to make them feel much better.

The House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee announced this afternoon that they will be the first water company it will quiz about problems in southern England.

The select committee is launching an inquiry into issues into the wider water sector.

Southern Water has been asked to appear before MPs on 21 January.

Image source, Getty Images

Southern Water has told customers to make sure all of their taps are turned off to avoid any flooding as supply is restored.

It said people might notice that water is initially slow to come out of taps or that they have no pressure – but this is normal.

Water might not be clear to begin with. If it is cloudy and white, try leaving it in a glass to see if it clears. It might be air trapped in the water as pipes are refilled.

If water is brown or black, run your tap for a few minutes and it should clear.

If that doesn’t work, Southern Water tells customers to wait for 20 minutes and try again.

Image source, Getty Images

Katie White, from Woods Bikes and Brews Cafe in Lyndhurst, said staff noticed things were wrong when its water pressure got very low on Wednesday morning.

“We can’t use any of our machines, we can’t wash anything, so we’ve been left with a pile of washing that we cannot even touch," she said.

"It’s just a disgrace. You wouldn’t expect in this day and age that you’d have this problem.

"Down our way, there’s no way to get water, there are no stations. So someone like my mum, who doesn’t drive, has no way of getting water, which is just disgusting.”

Southern Water says it is trying to support vulnerable customers and is urging anyone who needs help to get in touch.

Customers at the emergency water station in Eastleigh have voiced their frustration over the latest problems.

Sharon Lynch, from Bishopstoke, told the BBC: "It's not the first time."

There were similar problems in the south Hampshire area in November 2023, February 2023 and December 2022.