‘There’s a nagging fear’: the village that can’t rely on running water

Residents of Everton, Bedfordshire, have learned to live with an on-off supply, and are always prepared for the worst

Yvonne Hinde opens her fridge to reveal three big bottles of water. There are two buckets full in her garden. We have to be prepared," she says. She isn't being dramatic. Like other residents of Everton in Bedfordshire, Hinde, 59, a childminder, can no longer take running water for granted.

Since the start of July the supply has been severely interrupted or cut off five times. Often the taps run dry for hours at a time. The problems have forced the pub to close and the village school to tell children to stay at home. It makes life really difficult," says Hinde, who is forced to close her business when the water isn't running.