The Environment Agency has moved parts of southern and southwestern England into severe drought status. Two reservoirs, Ardingly and Wimbleball, are at 19% and 16% capacity respectively, far below the expected seasonal average of about 75%. Smaller reservoirs serving households in Devon and Cornwall are also under strain.
Despite the crisis, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle has yet to approve requests from three water companies – South East Water, South West Water and Southern Water – to extend non-essential use bans to businesses such as golf clubs, private schools and commercial car washes. Two of the companies operate in areas now in severe drought.
Speaking after a meeting of the national drought group, Eagle said: “This level of drought is something we have not experienced for decades, so this government is stepping up our support and planning. We are working closely with water companies to protect public supplies in the areas affected, and I’d continue to urge everyone to think about how they can use water wisely over the coming weeks.”
Water Minister Emma Hardy has instructed the Environment Agency to prioritise protecting public water supplies in affected areas, even where that means compromising environmental rules. The south-east and south-west of England recorded their driest April to September period in more than a century, fuelled by the climate crisis, according to officials.