WE must be the laughing stock of the world, because here we go again, three to four weeks without rain and hose pipe bans starting to come in force, including those announced in the North West of England on Monday (Echo, July 17).

I pose the question like most – you have one of the biggest producers of tomatoes in the world (Spain) that can go for months without rain, and nothing needs water more than a tomato.

The Egyptians grow potatoes same again, then there is Greece, Morocco and many more.

And can I add that these countries produce bottled drinking water at a third of the price we pay.

It is legalised robbery what we pay for drinking water.

It’s a joke to think we are among the G8 when we cannot do something simple like preserve water.

D Dunbar, Sherburn Village, Durham