Drought in England could continue next year amid ‘exceptionally low’ river levels, Environment Agency warns

England is now at risk of prolonged drought conditions which could last into next year, the Environment Agency has warned.

Rain has been scarce since the record-breaking heatwave that struck the UK in July, and river flows and groundwater levels remain “exceptionally low”, according to the agency’s National Drought Group.

As a result, “a complete gear change” is needed in how households, farms and water companies manage water, head of the Environment Agency, Sir James Bevan, has said.

Many parts of the country are officially in drought, and the government said on Tuesday that the West Midlands would become the 10th and latest area to join the list.

Recent showers were not enough to replenish rivers, groundwater or reservoirs to normal levels, the agency said, and the overall lack of rain had resulted in the country experiencing its driest summer for 50 years, and the driest ever in southern England.

The National Drought Group also warned that the dry weather had resulted in “a very large increase in demand for water”, and said there had already been “significant environmental impacts, with rivers and ponds drying out and fish and other wildlife dying or in distress”.

Ten of the Environment Agency’s 14 areas are now officially in drought. They are:

Devon & Cornwall/Isles of Scilly

Solent and South Downs

Thames

Hertfordshire and north London

Kent and south London

East Anglia

Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire

East Midlands

West Midlands

Yorkshire

Areas classed as being in ‘prolonged dry weather’:

Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire

Wessex

The North East

The only area now at “normal water resource” status is Cumbria and Lancashire.

A return to “normal water resource” elsewhere will require a return to sustained average or above average rainfall over the coming months, the agency said.

“Until – and unless – that happens, many areas will remain in drought.”

Sir James said: “Water pressures on wildlife and the environment remain high, and despite recent rainfall and the pause in the hot dry weather, we must continue to manage water wisely.

“Both for the coming year and, with the impact of climate change, for the coming decade, a complete gear change is needed for how water companies and all water users, from farmers to households, think about how they use water and understand its fundamental value.

“This summer should be a wake-up call for how the nation prepares for weather extremes and how we make the very best use of our water resources. Our National Framework for Water Resources sets out clearly what we are doing in the face of a new normal for water and we are determined to drive that forward.”

Water minister Steve Double said: “We know essential water supplies are safe – but more work must be done to ensure that we push forward investment to cut leaks and better prepare for prolonged dry weather for this year, next year and the coming decade.

“Water companies need to be putting the needs of their bill payers front and centre of their plans – which means redoubling efforts to cut leakage and protect our natural environment.”

The National Drought Group said at the moment “there is no threat to essential water supplies”, but warned that there is now “a need to continue to manage water resources carefully over the coming weeks and months”.

In a statement, the group said: “Water companies are responsible for providing water to their customers, ensuring that public water supply is secure, and for maintaining supplies whilst minimising environmental impact.

"As part of these efforts, six companies [Southern Water, South East Water, Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, South West Water and Welsh Water] have so far implemented or announced hosepipe bans."