PEOPLE have been warned not to waste water as reservoir levels have become dangerously low.

Despite the wet spell that ended the month, there was less than three-quarters of the normal level of November rainfall.

With experts predicting a dry December as well, water supplier Severn Trent is concerned that reservoir levels are at their lowest since the mid-1990s.

"The rain has been very welcome," said Dave Morris, head of customer relations. "But we can't relax and think everything is sorted for next year. Our reservoirs should be 95 per cent full by now."

Midlands stocks now stand at just 61.5 per cent, and key reservoirs in Wales and Derbyshire are only 59 per cent and 50 per cent full respectively. After the droughts of the 1990s, the company developed a regional grid to protect its supplies, and it is hoped that this will alleviate the situation.

Worcestershire has been plagued by water troubles in recent years. The River Severn overflowed in both 1997 and 2000, causing devastation to homes, and the county was hit hard in the droughts of the mid-90s.

Worcestershire water is taken directly from the River Severn and processed at the Strensham Water Treatment Works.

However, Severn Trent spokeswoman Caroline Hosie stressed this did not mean the county would not suffer.

"River levels are also low and it has been an exceptionally dry year. If we still didn't see any rain in January or February, we would be concerned."

"There is no need to panic as the refill period lasts until the end of March.

"At the moment, we are just asking our customers to take some sensible precautions."

To protect the county's water stocks, and to save money, Severn Trent is urging customers to make sure their pipes are protected against frost, to avoid leaving taps running and to take showers rather than baths.

More details are available at www.severntrent.co.uk