UPDATE: Portsmouth Water say weekend woes resolved '˜very quickly' as all customers get supply back

Much of the city was left without running water or a low-pressure supply after 20 pipes burst across Portsmouth, due to a rise in temperature as the snow melted.

The company said that apart from some isolated bursts, all customers now have their water supply back, and that no further issues arose over the weekend.

Ian Limb of Portsmouth Water said: ‘Bursts have always been a risk when there are sudden rises in temperature which causes ground movements regardless whether they are plastic or cast iron pipes.

‘The key for this weekend was we had prior knowledge of the potential increase in temperature, and had resources on standby in case this caused an increase in bursts.

‘This preparation helped us reduce the time customers had either no water or reduced pressure.

This was a problem throughout the south east of England over the weekend, with some areas having some resource issues due to burst mains as a result of the rise in temperature.

‘We are currently managing our resources but would ask that customers look continue to be vigilant to look for leaks.’

Customers can report a leak by calling (023) 9247 7999, or by visiting portsmouthwater.co.uk and completing the ‘Report a Leak’ form.