Norfolk councillors question water readiness amid heatwave warnings

Norfolk councillors have raised concerns regarding water infrastructure readiness following warnings that the summer of 2027 could be even hotter than the current year. The region recently experienced a drought and a hosepipe ban after the Met Office reported the warmest UK summer since 1884, including a record peak of 38C in Lingwood.

During a Norfolk County Council meeting, officials from Anglian Water were questioned about their drought planning. Councillor Tom Ludson specifically noted that the company’s draft drought plan for 2027 to 2032 lacked references to El Nino events, which are predicted to potentially bring record-breaking heat to the region.

Grant Tuffs of Anglian Water stated that the company is focusing on asset resilience and health improvements to address climate impacts, though he noted that the five-year business planning cycle can make it difficult to predict and mitigate short-term extreme weather hits.