The economic costs of such a drought would amount to as much as £1.3bn a day in the most severe case, according to the report, published on Tuesday by Water UK, the trade association for water utilities. Avoiding such a probability would cost an extra £3bn to £5bn, added to customers’ bills on top of inflation and other infrastructure costs, according to Doug Hunt, of the engineering firm Atkins, a co-author of the study, which was commissioned from engineering companies and academics and paid for by water companies.

Increased drought could see Londoners queueing for water – The Guardian