"The continuing impact and heightened risk of drought in the South, as a consequence of climate change, highlight the importance of our emphasis on leakage management, water efficiency and demand management, " it said.

BBC: NEWS | Business | Water firms boost profit streams

By April 6th TEPCO had managed to staunch the leakage of highly contaminated water from one of the damaged reactors that had produced levels of radioactive iodine 7.5m times the legal limit in one sample of seawater.

ECONOMIST: A spreading cloud of economic and human costs

While the source of water currently received by the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation is filtered, sewage leakage and the poor management of waste often contaminates drinking water on its way into the homes.

CNN: Students work to improve water quality in India

It identified another 71 sites that it says are responsible for the leakage of heavy metals into ground water.

FORBES: Coal Ash Spilling Into Obama and Romney Race

Thames, the biggest water company, has said it will be unable to reduce leakage at all over the next five years without a price rise.

BBC: Ofwat to rule on how much firms can charge for water

Scottish Water has significantly improved the level of customer service it provides and has cut its leakage by more than a third.

BBC: Scotland politics

The firm, which provides water and wastewater services across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, also plans to further tackle leakage.

BBC: Southern Water could recycle wastewater