Yikes!!!! Our water is brown.

This is not the kind of thing that water companies can solve instantly. The only short term fix is to flush the mains and that can make things worse not better. Picture a 10cm diameter main with maybe 3 cms of iron (rust) particles sitting in a layer on the bottom.
It stems from old cast-iron mains that have been in the ground for over 50 years - in some cases they are 19th century. It is a legacy from the pre-privatisation years when no money was spent modernising the networks. However they have had a long opportunity to replace or reline those mains by now.
Keep reporting it (every time it happens) and also encourage your neighbours to keep reporting it. Put it in writing so that it is logged as a formal complaint (copy to your MP never does any harm).
When I worked in the industry all phone reports and all formal complaints were logged and the information fed into the "asset management plan" which determine the priorities for mains replacement for the next financial year. I would expect that this is still how things work.

Try leaving a glass of water overnight - we did that once and there was an inch of brown sediment in the bottom.

Brown water is nearly always caused by iron sediment in the mains getting stirred up by change of flow or pressure in the pipes (e.g. due to burst mains)
Inform your water company but do not panic. Or wash your delicate white things obviously.
Iron of course not toxic so you can clean teeth, shower, wash dishes or drink small quantities.
If you have a water filter jug or even a coffee filter that would help to remove the iron particles. Good luck!

I understand the only bottled water you should use for babies and young children is Evian as it does not have the minerals in it - also the recommended one for coffee machines etc. - this is in France so I assume similar in UK.

The water company advice is to run the cold tap for 20 minutes to see if it clears. All I get is a filthy sink!

I talked to DD about the water fir the babies bottles and, if all else fails she is going to buy those cartons of made up milk - really expensive way to go as Lottie polishes of an 8 oz bottle at every feed. She is like a little kelly - round and smiley!

We often get brown water, but the water company says it is OK to drink - needless to say, we don't.

Do take advice before using bottled water for babies, boiling concentrates the minerals in the water and is not good for baby.

Are your neighbours similarly affected? I am not sure what is worse, no water or brown water and you do not know the cause of the discolouration.

Doubly horrendous as you are entertaining so many. The adults will manage but not the very young chidlren.

I hope that it is sorted soon.

Why don't you ring the water company and see if the water is safe? They usually put a recorded message in my area, to keep everybody informed.

We were without water for most of yesterday and had to rely on water in the loft tanks. Apparently a pump had failed at the local storage tanks. It's ok today thanks be.
It's ironic when there is so much water around, in the ground falling out of the sky etc that there was no water in the pipes.