One hardly used hosepipe for sale, due to instructions of Thames Water.

Apparently I can no longer use this item as, despite a profit of some £256m last year alone, the company seems to be unable to stop the leaks, amounting to some 250m gallons per day.

No doubt, a large percentage of these profits will go to the shareholders, instead of buying new shovels to enable the leaks to be unearthed and rectified.

It would appear that it is easier for Thames Water to pump the rivers dry and to pump so much water from underground aquifers that small streams and village ponds, which have run for centuries, disappear for much of the year.

If gas can be pumped from Russia, surely excess water could be pumped from Scotland, where, I believe, there is an abundance of the stuff.

Of course, this will never happen, as the key word for all public utility providers is profit, not service to customers.

We have no option as we are unable to obtain water from any other source.

I considered drilling my own well, but apparently I will need a licence to abstract water from it.

Will the time ever come when these companies indulge in a little forward planning, with the customer in mind? Probably not. Never mind, they can always blame fictitious global warming.

Ah well, if I can't drink water, at least I can drink beer and before you say it's mostly water, the stuff I imbibe is of the rehydrated variety.

Tony Anchors, Didcot