UK weather: Water shortfall declared 'nationally significant' - as amber heat health alert comes into force

Sky News

a day ago

The water shortfall situation in England has been described as a "nationally significant incident" with five areas officially in drought - as an amber heat health alert comes into force for large parts of the country.
Six further areas are experiencing prolonged dry weather following the driest six months to July since 1976.
Many river flows and water reservoir levels in England continue to recede compared to June despite some storms and showers in July, which helped mask that it was still the fifth-warmest July on record.
Drier conditions have returned in August and now parts of the country are bracing for the fourth heatwave of 2025, with today's amber alert covering the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, and the South East.
Temperatures are forecast to rise above 30C (86F) in some areas, possibly even soaring past 35C (95F) in the south, threatening this year's heat record of 35.8C (95.4F) in Faversham, Kent, on 1 July.
A milder yellow heat health alert is in place for the South West, North East, North West, Yorkshire and The Humber.
The alerts by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are due to be in place from 9am today until 6pm tomorrow, and put more pressure on struggling public water supplies and navigational waterways.
'We are calling on everyone to play their part'
The National Drought Group (NDG), which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers' Union, Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts, met at the start of the week to highlight the water-saving measures each sector is taking.
The group praised the public for reducing their daily usage, after Yorkshire Water reported a 10% reduction in domestic demand following the introduction of their hosepipe ban, which saved up to 80 million litres per day.
"The situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment," said Helen Wakeham, NDG chair and director of water at the Environment Agency.
"Water companies must continue to quickly fix leaks and lead the way in saving water.
"We know the challenges farmers are facing and will continue to work with them, other land users, and businesses to ensure everyone acts sustainably."
Current drought situation in England
- Drought has been declared in: Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, Greater Manchester Merseyside and Cheshire, East Midlands, West Midlands.
- Areas in prolonged dry weather (the phase before drought) are: Northeast, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, East Anglia, Thames, Wessex, Solent and South Downs.
- Yorkshire Water has a hosepipe ban in place for all its customers, while Thames, South East, and Southern Water have postcode-specific bans.
- Reservoirs fell by 2% last week and are now 67.7% full on average across England. The average for the first week of August is 80.5%.
- The lowest reservoirs are Blithfield (49.1%), Derwent Valley (47.2%), Chew Valley Lake (48.3%), Blagdon (46.3%).
- Rainfall in July was 89% of the long-term average for the month across England. This is the sixth consecutive month of below-average rainfall.
- Across the country, 51% of river flows were normal, with the rest below normal, notably low or exceptionally low.
- Two rivers – Wye and Ely Ouse – were the lowest on record for July.
- There are currently navigation closures or restrictions across sections of the Leeds and Liverpool, Macclesfield, Trent and Mersey, Peak Forest, Rochdale, Oxford and Grand Union Canal.
The rainfall at the end of July was welcomed by growers, even though the dry weather is set to have an impact on the harvest, with the National Farmers Union (NFU) noting how water shortages have impacted the growing season.
"Some farms are reporting a significant drop in yields, which is financially devastating for the farm business and could have impacts for the UK's overall harvest," NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said.
Ms Hallos said investment in water infrastructure and a more effective planning system was urgently needed "to avoid the swing between extreme drought and flooding and to secure water supplies for food production".
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The dry weather also impacts the health of the waterways, as low water levels reduce oxygen levels in the water, which can lead to fish deaths, more algae growth, and could prevent wildlife from moving up or downstream.
Water minister Emma Hardy said the government is "urgently stepping up its response" to respond to dry weather, including investment in new reservoirs, but called on firms to do their bit.
"Water companies must now take action to follow their drought plans," she said.
"We face a growing water shortage in the next decade," the minister warned, which she said is why building new reservoirs - something the government has criticised the previous administration for not doing - is so important.
The hot and dry conditions have also led to warnings of wildfires, following blazes near Wimborne in Dorset and at Edinburgh's Arthur's Seat over the weekend.
The cost of farm fires in the UK increased by 37% to an estimated £110.3m in 2023, according to the National Farmer's Union (NFU) Mutual's latest data.
Ms Hallos said: "We're urging everyone enjoying the countryside this summer to play their part and be fire-aware, so these shared spaces remain safe and accessible for all: follow the Countryside Code, avoid open fires and report any signs of fire immediately.
"Protecting our farmland means protecting our food, our environment and our rural way of life."
Tips for staying cool from the UKHSA
Close windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
Seek shade and cover up outside
Use sunscreen, wear a hat and sunglasses
Keep out of the sun at the hottest times, between 11am and 3pm
Restrict physical activity to the cooler mornings or evenings
Know how to respond to heat exhaustion and heatstroke
Sadiq Khan issued an air quality alert for London as temperatures started to rise this morning.
"City Hall has triggered a high air pollution alert for Tuesday 12 August as hot weather is expected to increase pollutant levels," the Mayor of London posted on X.
"We're urging Londoners to look after themselves, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste."