Six regions across England have been placed under severe drought status as water storage facilities reach concerning levels following exceptional summer heat. The affected areas include parts of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex, prompting coordinated government action to protect water availability for residents.
Two reservoirs have reached critically low levels. Ardingly reservoir, which supplies approximately 95,000 properties in the Haywards Heath and Uckfield areas, stands at only 19% capacity. Wimbleball reservoir in the south-west, serving customers across East Devon, North Devon, Somerset and West Dorset, has dropped to 16% capacity. Environmental Agency officials indicate that typical storage levels at this time of year should reach approximately 75% capacity. Additional concerns have been raised regarding several smaller facilities in Devon and Cornwall that collectively serve over 100,000 households.
Three water companies—South East Water, South West Water, and Southern Water—have submitted requests to impose non-essential water use restrictions on businesses including golf clubs, private schools and commercial car washes. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle has not yet approved these measures, though she has called on water companies to strengthen their drought response protocols. Water Minister Emma Hardy has directed the Environment Agency to prioritise public water supply protection in affected areas where conflicts arise between environmental regulations and water availability.
The National Drought Group announced plans for daily monitoring of reservoir and river levels, along with enhanced water quality surveillance due to reduced dilution capacity for sewage. Compliance checks on businesses that extract water will be intensified. Government and agency officials have urged the public to reduce water consumption to preserve supplies for rivers and the environment while supporting agriculture and wildlife protection.
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