Driving between local towns and villages in recent weeks, I have found myself sloshing through drinking water that was flowing from burst water mains. The dried, shrinking earth may partly explain the burst water mains – but not the speed at which it gets fixed. If you fail to do that, the water company can step in, repair the leak, and present you with the bill. There is no such legal requirement for water companies’ leaking water mains, where these companies have no obligation to stem the flow. You can’t choose a water company to provide you with water; we’re stuck with the one we’re paying through the nose for.