Arctic Weather Affects UK Water Supply Closing Businesses & Disrupting Factories

The 'Beast from the East' and Storm Emma produced the perfect storm in Britain as Arctic weather gripped the UK for more than a week amid concerns gas supplies would run out with water shortages affecting production at Cadbury's and Jaguar Land Rover in the Midlands.

In a statement to Sputnik, a Mondelez International spokesperson said: "Overnight Severn Trent Water has confirmed that it is in the process of restoring the water supply across our Bournville site. We therefore aim to have all production back up and running over the next 24 hours."

"Our supply of chocolate has not been impacted as some production continued overnight and we have sufficient product in stock. The rest of our supply chain, including logistics, has operated business as usual. Employees will return to work on the site from today."

Meanwhile car makers Jaguar Land Rover halted production at its Solihull and Castle Bromwich sites, water supplies at both businesses have since been restored. 

Water companies Severn Trent and South Staffs Water experienced problems with its supply as pipes froze and burst. Responding to the supply crisis which hit homes and businesses in the region, Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher said the firms had "fallen well short" on forward planning.

"A number of water companies appear to have fallen well short on their forward planning and the quality of support and communication they've been providing, leaving customers high and dry," Rachel Fletcher said in a statement. 

Up to ten thousand homes and businesses were left without water across London and the south east as the snow thawed bursting pipes and cutting off water supplies. South East Water and Southern Water have urged customers to take showers rather than baths and only use a washing machine and dishwasher when necessary. If customers in this area did have water, pressure was low.

In a joint statement from Thames Water, South East Water, Southern Water and Affinity Water, the suppliers said: "We've seen an increase in leaks and bursts on our network, which we are urgently dealing with as fast as we possibly can."

Typically, many people turned to Twitter to vent their frustrations that the water companies had not kept them informed.

The cold front from Siberia dubbed the Beast from the East, coupled with blizzards brought by Storm Emma from the Atlantic, is forecast to cost the UK economy US$1.39 billion a day.

Pest from the West

Britain has received a battering from the elements recently and wintry conditions are set to continue with more snow forecast in parts of the UK ahead of another Atlantic storm expected soon. 

In a statement the Met Office said there will be: "a very unsettled period, with heavy rain probably moving northwards across much of the UK during the weekend, followed by blustery showers across central and southern parts."

Britain may have said goodbye to the 'Beast from the East' but its expected to meet the 'Pest from the West' in the coming days with an inch of rainfall expected onto already thawing snow, coupled with gale force winds.