Severn Trent Water reports record‑low reservoir levels amid UK drought

Severn Trent Water said its reservoirs in the West Midlands have fallen to their lowest levels since November 2025, with storage at 71.4 % of capacity – about 176,850 million litres against a total capacity of 247,708 million litres. The drop follows three heatwaves this summer, record‑low rainfall and a drought declaration covering half of England.

The company has not imposed a hosepipe ban, unlike several other UK water utilities, but it is urging customers to use water sparingly. Helen Wakeham, director of water at the Environment Agency, warned that the hot, dry weather is depleting water faster than it can be replenished. Gareth Mead, Severn Trent’s river‑rangers manager, echoed the call for conservation, advising residents to avoid sprinklers and hosepipes and to use full dishwashers and recycle surplus water for plants. The drought has also heightened wildfire risk, with fire crews responding to grass fires in the Birmingham area.