WATER stocks across the region have fallen again.

But Yorkshire Water insists there is no problem.

The levels have now fallen below the point when standpipe measures were first introduced in the drought of 1995, but this was during the summer.

Reservoir levels in the region have fallen to an average of 46.3% full, despite showers.

A Yorkshire Water spokesman said today that its modern water "grid" was performing well in its biggest test since development in the late 1990s.

Following the 1995 drought, which badly hit the Huddersfield and Halifax areas, the company extended pipes and pumping stations that allow water to be transferred around the region to meet areas of greatest demand.

This year, the second driest since records began in 1873, has seen the grid system doing exactly what it was designed to do.

In 1995, the level fell to 46.5% by August 1 - the day standpipes were introduced. And two months later, a huge tankering operation was launch- ed to help refill Booth Wood Reservoir, Ripponden, and Scammonden, where levels slumped to just 15%.

Richard Flint, director of water business at the company, said: "Public water supplies remain unaffected despite the prolonged dry spell.

"Although reservoir levels are below normal for this time of year, we have not yet reached the stage where we need to take action above and beyond our agreed water resources management plan.

"We will continue to monitor the situation on a weekly basis with the Environment Agency.

"Yorkshire's modern water network means that we can move water around the region via the grid system and we can extract water from other sources such as rivers and natural underground wells, called boreholes."