What is the latest drought warning and what does it mean for you?

ITV News

4 days ago

The water shortfall situation in England has been described as "nationally significant" as reservoir levels continue to recede.
The National Drought Group (NDG), which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies and other organisations, met on Tuesday following the six driest months to July since 1976. Five areas remain in drought, and six more are experiencing prolonged dry weather.
What does the drought warning mean?
Quite simply, it means there is a shortage of water. This year, it has been triggered by record-breaking temperatures and an extremely dry spring.
The problem is made worse by a lack of storage (no new reservoirs have been built in the past 30 years) and leaks from pipes.
The lack of water has led to hosepipe bans being introduced in some parts of the country, and farmers are reporting low yields from their harvests.
National Farmers' Union (NF) Vice-President Rachel Hallos said: 'British farmers and growers continue to face extremely dry conditions, with harvest underway and crop yields proving mixed across the country. Some farms are reporting a significant drop in yields, which is financially devastating for the farm business and could impact the UK's overall harvest.
'Farming is a long-term industry, and there is growing concern about the months ahead. Minimal grass growth means many livestock farmers are already tapping into winter feed stocks, raising the risk of higher production costs later in the year.'
Despite some heavy spells of rain recently, reservoirs fell by 2% last week and are now, on average, 67.7% full across England. The average for the first week of August is 80.5%. Last month, the average was 75.6%.
What does this mean for our water use?
Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency's Director of Water, said: "The current situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment."
The less water that is used, the less needs to be abstracted from local rivers - therefore, helping to protect the health of our waterways and wildlife.
Hosepipe bans have already made an impact. Yorkshire Water has reported a 10% reduction in domestic demand following its hosepipe ban. This equates to saving up to 80 million litres per day - equivalent to 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Where are the drought areas?
Drought has been declared in Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, the East Midlands, and the West Midlands.
Where are the five areas that are not quite in drought but nearly?
Areas experiencing prolonged dry weather (the phase before drought) include: North East, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, East Anglia, Thames, Wessex, Solent, and South Downs.
Where are the current hosepipe bans?
Southern Water Almost one million Southern Water customers are affected by a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), also known as a hosepipe ban, which came into effect from 9am on Monday, July 21, across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Southern Water is the latest company to enforce water restrictions and has asked all of its other customers to use water wisely.
The ban follows the Environment Agency's declaration that the Solent and South Downs are in "prolonged dry weather".
Thames Water
The UK's largest water company enacted a ban on July 22 for customers in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire, and parts of Berkshire.
Affected postcodes include all OX, GL, SN, as well as RG4, RG8, and RG9.
This ban does not apply to London, which Thames Water also serves.
The measure was introduced after the Environment Agency placed the area into the 'prolonged dry weather' category.
Yorkshire Water
Yorkshire Water's hosepipe ban came into force on July 18, affecting around five million households in the region.
You are likely to be affected if you live in York, Leeds, Hull, Doncaster or Sheffield. It does not affect customers who only receive wastewater services from Yorkshire Water.In June, the Environment Agency officially declared a drought in the county, with reservoirs currently at around three-quarters of their normal levels for this time of year.
Yorkshire Water's director of water, Dave Kaye, said: 'Introducing these restrictions was not a decision we took lightly, and we have done everything we can to avoid implementing them.'
South East Water
The hosepipe ban for parts of Kent and Sussex came into force on July 18.Affected areas include Ashford, Canterbury, Eastbourne, Maidstone, Haywards Heath and Royal Tunbridge Wells.
Watering flowers or gardens is not permitted under the hosepipe ban.
The company has supplied 680 million litres of water in a single day this year and is monitoring the situation in its western region, covering parts of Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire.
Coastal regions such as Dover and Folkestone are not included in this ban, as they are served by a separate water supplier.