Drought declared in the Midlands - as people are urged to 'use water wisely'
The Environment Agency said the National Drought Group (NDG) had stepped up its operational response and "asks people to play their part in managing the drought and use water wisely".
Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency's director for water and NDG chair, said: "This has been the driest start to the year since 1976, and we need to make sure our water supplies can sustain us through the summer.
"Today I have asked all the partners who make up the national drought group to step up their operational response to manage the drought and use water wisely. Environment Agency teams are out on the ground actively monitoring river levels and working to ensure there is enough water for the people and the environment."
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