Alistair Baker from Northumbrian Water admitted that the leaks had taken them by surprise and that they were still speculating about the cause. He said: "We think it was down to the dry weather, which caused ground movement. Water pressure "It's unusual to get one burst, let alone three, but when the supply is interrupted in one place, water is put into the system from other sources. This puts the pipes under stress, and could be the cause of the subsequent leaks. "Some customers may experience low water pressure or discoloured water while we get the system back to normal. It's not harmful, but obviously we're trying to rectify that as quickly as possible." After 24 hours without water, domestic customers are entitled to £20 compensation per day, while businesses can claim £60, according to Northumbrian Water. Anyone who believes they are entitled to more can apply in writing to the company, which will then deal with claims on an individual basis. Courtesy of the BBC