England declares severe drought in six counties

The UK government has declared a severe drought in six English counties: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex, and West Sussex. This follows an exceptionally dry April-to-September period, the driest in over a century, and a record-breaking summer heatwave.

Reservoir levels have reached critical lows. For instance, the Ardingly reservoir in West Sussex is at 19% capacity, and Wimbleball reservoir in Somerset is at 16%, significantly below the seasonal average of 75%. Two major reservoirs in southwest England, serving approximately 400,000 properties, have fallen below 20% capacity.

In response, Water Minister Emma Hardy has instructed the Environment Agency to prioritize protecting public water supplies, even if it requires deviating from certain environmental regulations. While water companies like South East Water and South West Water have proposed bans on non-essential water use for businesses—including golf clubs and car washes—Environment Secretary Angela Eagle has not yet approved these specific restrictions.

The Environment Agency is implementing increased monitoring of reservoir and river levels, stricter water quality checks, and more frequent inspections of businesses that abstract water from natural sources. Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy warned that the extreme heat and drought have placed immense pressure on water resources.