Water bills for thousands of customers across Shropshire and Mid Wales will rise by an average £16 this year, Severn Trent announced today.

Busy roads in Ludlow town centre have been closed due to a series of emergency works – leaving up to 120 homes without water.

Eighty-five properties were without water this afternoon after a pipe burst in a village near Bridgnorth.

Water giant Severn Trent today revealed falling profits and increasing customer complaints as it battles to come to terms with the impact of three severe winters.

More than 5,000 properties in north Shropshire were left without water for more than four hours yesterday after a problem with a supply pump.

Thousands of residents in Newport were left without water after a fault with an underground reservoir. Severn Trent officials say they believe up to 6,000 people could have been affected.

Part of a main road near Albrighton has been closed after a water main underneath burst.

Water company Severn Trent will be meeting Lake Vyrnwy residents in public for the first time since announcing the sale of the lease for the land around the reservoir in mid Wales.

Severn Trent has raised more than £120,000 after auctioning off redundant land including former reservoirs and land where an ex-pumping station used to stand.

Farmers are being told to use less water for their crops as part of a bid to combat plummeting river levels on Shropshire’s waterways.

An action group set up to campaign against United Utilities taking over the Lake Vyrnwy estate is to take a petition to the Welsh Assembly.

Residents of a Telford housing estate have hit out at Severn Trent Water after the company failed to fix a leaking pipe which has left a pool of filthy water outside their homes for more than two weeks.

Severn Trent Water officials have revealed they want to lease the Lake Vyrnwy Estate to a partnership of another water company – United Utilities and the RSPB.

A Shropshire resident has blasted Severn Trent Water after the utility giant told locals to be “frugal” with their water usage.

More than 1,000 homes in Telford were left either without water or with limited supplies last night due to a burst water main.

Severn Trent today said recent rain across the country was not enough to rule out the possibility of hosepipe bans in certain areas.

Severn Trent bosses were today still refusing to rule out hosepipe bans being introduced in Shropshire despite the wettest week since February.

Shropshire could be facing a summer hosepipe ban, bosses at Severn Trent admitted today. The firm said there was an “increasing likelihood” of a ban unless there was extended rainfall.

Severn Trent today said it failed to meet its annual leakage target after the coldest December in 100 years caused a surge in the number of broken pipes.

Shropshire’s main water supplier today urged people to cut down on what they were using after revealing reservoir levels were already 10 per cent lower than normal due to the recent mini-heatwave.

Race organisers need to remeasure the 10 kilometre route of a major Shropshire road race after a collapsed sewer caused them to alter their plans.

A burst water main caused part of a busy road in south Shropshire to collapse and left homes and businesses without water for 24 hours.

Up to 2,000 homes and businesses were hit by water supply problems in Ellesmere in the latest utility misery which has affected the market town.

Water bills in Shropshire are set to rise in line with inflation, but will be among the lowest in the country over the coming year.

A flood action plan helped to ensure Shrewsbury remained open during this year’s floods when water levels in the town peaked at almost 14.5ft, officials said today.

Letter: At a time when everyone should be seeking to improve efficiency and savings, Severn Trent still has a long way to go.

Residents living on the Lake Vyrnwy Estate have launched a petition to support businessman Rhys Jones who has put in a bid for the area’s 125-year lease.

Utility suppliers across Shropshire are struggling to cope under the weight of customer demands as the big freeze continues to grip the country.

Severn Trent Water today came under fire for taking two years to repair a leak outside a Shropshire school.

More roads in Oswestry have been closed because of work being carried out by Severn Trent Water.