THE Coalition Government announced today (September 9) a major new enquiry into the future of England’s water supply industry – and will ask members of the public for ideas on how it can be made better.

As well as worries over rising population and climate change, Defra officials have been puzzled by recent events in the North West, where at one stage hosepipe bans were in place at the same time as flood warnings.

And despite the wettest August in living memory, huge lengths of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal have been closed down this summer, meaning that hundreds of pleasure craft owners have been unable to reach Skipton and the southern Yorkshire Dales section, one of the most popular venues for boat owners in the country.

Says Environment Minister Richard Benyon : “There’s a growing population and a changing climate putting more pressure on our water supplies. Recent events have shown just how fragile our water supplies are and how we need to manage them properly in the future.”

The new enquiry can be regarded as a slap on the wrist for some of the major water supply utilities, who have been accused of hiking their bills to customers without carrying out the necessary investment to make the supply more secure.