Bradford-based Yorkshire Water has been named as one of only two water companies in the UK to reduce leakage last year.

The figures – based on the amount of leakage as a percentage of the water supplied – show that leakage in Yorkshire reduced by 0.41 per cent during 2012-13 when compared to 2011-12. The only other water company to reduce its leakage was Severn Trent.

Tony O’Shea, Yorkshire Water’s leakage manager said: “Water which is lost from the system is effectively water we have paid to treat and move around the supply system without anyone getting any benefit from it, and we want to ensure that this happens as little as possible.”

In its fight against lost water the company has totally overhauled how it monitors, responds to and anticipates leakage.

This has included millions of pounds of investment in new technology, improved monitoring of the network and higher standards of repair than ever before.

The water company maintains 19,500 miles of clean water pipes – enough to go to Australia and back if laid end to end.