Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low

A severe drought is a serious water shortage, not simply a run of sunny days. In this article, the status applies where prolonged dry weather has pushed reservoirs and other water sources dangerously low. It matters because homes, rivers, farms and wildlife can all face pressure at once.

Six areas have entered severe drought after the driest April-to-September period in more than a century in southern and south-western England. Ardingly reservoir is 19% full, while Wimbleball is 16% full. The Environment Agency would expect storage near 75% at this time.

The declaration triggers urgent planning and closer checks. Authorities will monitor reservoirs and rivers daily, strengthen water-quality monitoring and check businesses taking water. Water companies are expected to follow drought plans, while everyone is urged to use less water. The article does not give a single national threshold defining severe drought; it describes the practical emergency conditions behind the declaration.

Severe drought affects parts of six English areas: Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. These regions face pressure because water sources have not recovered sufficiently after an exceptionally dry period. The immediate concern is securing reliable public supplies for homes and other customers.

Two major reservoirs show the scale of the shortfall. Ardingly, serving about 95,000 properties around Haywards Heath and Uckfield, is 19% full. Wimbleball, serving customers across Devon, Somerset and Dorset, is 16% full. Both are described as critically low.

The comparison with normal seasonal storage is stark. The Environment Agency would expect reservoirs to be about 75% full at this point in the year. Smaller reservoirs are also concerning, including Drift and Stithians in Cornwall and Tottiford and Venford in Devon. Daily monitoring will track whether supplies and river levels worsen.

Reservoirs refill when rainfall adds water faster than people, farms and businesses use it. They lose water when dry weather continues, evaporation removes moisture and demand rises. A long deficit means storage falls month after month, leaving less water available when the next dry period arrives.

This year, southern and south-western England had their driest April-to-September period in more than a century. The article also reports that the UK experienced its hottest summer on record. It links the conditions to the climate crisis, while describing their effect on reservoir levels.

The result is severe pressure on major and smaller reservoirs. Ardingly is 19% full and Wimbleball 16%, compared with expected storage of about 75%. The government and Environment Agency are moving to daily monitoring. Unless wetter conditions restore supplies, companies may need further restrictions and people will be urged to reduce water use.

The requested measure is a non-essential user ban. It would extend restrictions beyond households and affect businesses such as golf clubs, private schools and commercial car washes. The aim is to preserve limited supplies for essential public needs while drought conditions continue.

South East Water, South West Water and Southern Water have asked for permission to impose these restrictions. Two of the companies operate in areas now classified as being in severe drought. The restrictions would cover businesses and other commercial properties that use water for activities considered non-essential.

Environment secretary Angela Eagle must approve the requests. The article says she urged water companies to strengthen drought planning but had not approved the bans. Meanwhile, water minister Emma Hardy directed the Environment Agency to prioritise public supplies where environmental rules and supplies face an unavoidable trade-off. Further decisions depend on conditions and drought planning.

If drought continues, household water supplies could become harder to secure. The article says urgent measures are already being taken because some reservoirs are critically low. Businesses may face tighter restrictions, and everyone is being asked to use less water to leave more for public supplies and the environment.

Rivers could carry less water, affecting farmers, wildlife and nature. Lower flows also mean sewage is diluted less. The National Drought Group therefore expects heightened water-quality monitoring because pollution risks could rise. Businesses that abstract water will face more compliance checks to ensure they take only their permitted amounts.

The effects depend on how long dry conditions last and whether rainfall returns. The Environment Agency will monitor reservoir and river levels daily in affected areas. Water companies are expected to follow drought plans and act early. Reducing demand could help protect supplies, river environments and water quality while the drought continues.

Public water supplies and environmental protection usually depend on the same limited water. Rivers need enough flow for wildlife, nature and water quality, while homes need water for daily use. During severe drought, both needs cannot always be fully met, creating an unavoidable trade-off.

The article says Emma Hardy told the Environment Agency to prioritise public supplies where environmental rules and supplies conflict. At the same time, the National Drought Group warned that lower river flows mean sewage is diluted less. That raises risks to water quality and environmental pollution.

This does not mean every environmental rule is automatically removed. The article does not identify specific rules to loosen. It describes a decision to prioritise supplies in areas facing unavoidable conflict, while increasing water-quality monitoring and checking abstractions. Using less water would help preserve more for rivers, farmers, wildlife and nature, reducing pressure on both objectives.

Rainfall adds water to rivers, soils and reservoirs. Evaporation removes water, especially during hot weather. People, farms and businesses also draw from supplies. A region remains secure when incoming water and stored reserves cover these losses and uses; it becomes vulnerable when demand and losses exceed replenishment.

Reservoir storage acts as a buffer between wet and dry periods. In this case, dry conditions and the UK’s hottest summer on record helped reduce available water. Ardingly is 19% full and Wimbleball 16%, while the Environment Agency would expect around 75% storage at this time of year.

Demand also matters. Restrictions and calls to use less water can slow withdrawals, leaving more in reservoirs and rivers. The government and Environment Agency will monitor levels daily, while companies follow drought plans. If rainfall does not improve storage, supplies, rivers and water quality will remain under pressure, especially in the six affected areas.