Why is drought trending in the UK?
A severe drought was declared for six counties in southern England after an exceptionally hot, dry summer and very low rainfall, leaving major reservoirs at less than 20% of capacity. The government and water companies are now monitoring supplies closely and urging reduced water use to prevent disruptions.
What happened
- Earlier
The Environment Agency declared a severe drought for parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex after reservoir levels fell to as low as 14.9% at Wimbleball and 19.4% at Ardingly, well below the typical 75% for this time of year [1]
What you need to know
Water companies must monitor reservoir and river levels daily.
Compliance checks on businesses extracting water have been increased.
A hosepipe ban remains in force in the affected counties.
Household supplies are expected to continue uninterrupted for now.
Exact dates when reservoir levels might recover enough to lift restrictions are not known, as they depend on future rainfall.
Background
The UK experienced its hottest summer on record, driving water demand up while rainfall stayed scarce. The South East and South West recorded their driest April‑September period in over a century, causing reservoir storage to drop far below the normal 75% level.
The National Drought Group reviewed water availability and advised the Environment Agency to declare a severe drought, a status that triggers preventative measures such as daily monitoring, stricter water‑quality checks, and increased enforcement of abstraction limits.
Questions people ask
Will my tap water be turned off?
The government has said household water supplies will not be interrupted despite the severe drought status.
What does a severe drought declaration mean?
It allows authorities to take early actions, like tighter monitoring and compliance checks, to protect water resources and reduce the risk of supply disruption.
Why are hosepipe bans in place?
The bans aim to reduce water consumption while reservoirs remain at critically low levels.
Where this came from
Found through Google Trends and drafted with AI from at least two cited sources. Published automatically after passing our automated checks for sources, wording and safety. It may not have been reviewed by a person yet. Report a correction.