The autumn and early winter drenching has helped to restore water supplies in most of Suffolk - but the drought orders imposed last August remain in force.

Heavy rain during October, November and December helped to restore water levels in most of Anglian Water's reservoirs across the region. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Heavy rain may be a misery for drivers - but it has helped to boost Anglian Water's stocks. Picture: Sonya Duncan.Heavy rain may be a misery for drivers - but it has helped to boost Anglian Water's stocks. Picture: Sonya Duncan. (Image: Archant)

Alton Water near Ipswich is now about 93% full which is where it would normally expected to be at this time of the year.

A spokeswoman for AW said: "We are reasonably relaxed about those areas that rely on reservoirs for their water - although we would like to see more rain this month and next  month in particular to keep them topped up.

"We are a bit more concerned about our ground water stocks in places like north Norfolk where there has only been about 80% of the normal rainfall.

"They really haven't recovered at all - but in the west of the region and most of Suffolk things seem to be a better." 

The Drought Orders are put in place and administered by the government's Environment Agency.

A spokeswoman for the Agency said they were kept under constant review as the rainfall situation changed.

Drought Orders mean water companies and other users are seriously restricted in the amount they can take out of rivers to boost their supplies.

But a spokeswoman for the Agency said it worked closely with companies to balance water needs with conserving river levels.

AW said that during the heavy rainfall at the end of last year and in early January they had been able to top up their reservoirs to ensure they are in a healthy state.

And the spokeswoman said that the new pipeline currently being built from Lincolnshire to East Anglia would make a big difference: "Lincolnshire has been much wetter than the East of England."