England faces drought after driest spring in 69 years, experts warn

Telegraph

07-05-2025

England faces the possibility of a drought this summer following the driest start to spring in 69 years, experts have warned.
Water companies are under pressure to do more to fix leaks and help customers save water as the Environment Agency warned of a 'medium' risk of summer drought.
The regulator said while there were currently no hosepipe bans planned, water companies might have to implement restrictions in the months ahead.
The Government's national drought group – which includes ministers, senior officials from the Environment Agency, water companies and other groups – are set to discuss the risk of drought without sustained rainfall at a meeting on Wednesday.
At the meeting, the Environment Agency is expected to warn water companies they must do more to cut leaks and help customers save water more widely.
It comes as England sees its driest March and April since 1956.
Rainfall was well below average for most of the UK in April, receiving just 56 per cent of the expected total rainfall for the month. England also saw just half the expected rainfall for the month, Met Office figures showed.
And March saw just 43 per cent of its average rainfall across the UK, with England getting a quarter of the rain it would normally get for the month.
Across England, reservoirs are 84 per cent full – compared to 90 per cent at the end of April in the 2022 drought year.
Reservoir levels are either notably low or exceptionally low across the North East and North West of England, which have had their driest start to the year since 1929.
Farmers have had to start irrigating crops early, with more pressure on their on-site storage reservoirs.
While chalk groundwater levels are generally in a good position, river flows are lower than normal for this time of year across northern and central England.
Wildfires have also been seen in areas including Cumbria, Dorset and Wales because of dry vegetation, the Environment Agency said.
The weather has flipped between extremes in the past few years, with drought and record-breaking heatwaves in 2022, followed by record wet conditions, and now a return to low rainfall.
The regulator said it is closely monitoring the implementation of plans in the event of dry weather, which includes working with farmers to help plan irrigation and preparing advice on small steps the public can take to reduce water usage.
Rachel Hallos, the vice-president National Farmers' Union, said the situation on the ground remained variable across farming sectors.
'The dry conditions and lack of any substantial rainfall has meant farmers in some parts of the country have started to irrigate crops much earlier than normal – thankfully reservoirs are currently full following the wet autumn and winter,' said Ms Hallos.
Urging the Government to recognise the need for water for food production, she added: 'The extreme weather patterns we have experienced over the past few years are impacting our ability to feed the nation.
'This should include access to water in times of shortage to be secured through planning policies that support on-farm water storage, investment in water-use efficiency on-farm, and innovation in more water efficient crops and farming systems.'