Latest news with #NationalDroughtGroup
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Here's why England could face water shortages of 5bn litres a day by the 2050s
England could face water shortages of five billion litres a day by 2055 if action isn't taken now, Environment Agency officials have warned. Climate change, a growing population and environmental pressures could lead to the shortfall by that decade, they have claimed. The shortfall is the equivalent of a third of the country's current daily use, or enough to fill Wembley Stadium four-and-a-half times over each day. The highly populated south-east region of England faces the biggest shortfall, with an estimated extra two billion litres of water a day needed between 2030 and 2055. We are experiencing the driest spring in over a century. The National Drought Group met today, and will continue to meet monthly to update drought plans and increase operational responses as dry weather continues over the summer. Read more: — Environment Agency (@EnvAgency) June 5, 2025 These findings come as part of the Environment Agency's national framework for water resources, which is published every five years. This sets out the actions needed by utilities, regulators and businesses and the public to manage under-pressure resources. The Environment Agency warns that the population of England is set to increase by eight million by 2055. This will increase the demand for water for everything from washing and appliances to leisure activities on golf courses and sports pitches. The organisation also says that climate change is likely to reduce the amount of available water, with hotter, drier summers limiting resources and increasing demand from households. At the same time, the amount taken from rivers and groundwater will need to be reduced to protect wildlife and the environment. It comes in the wake of England's hottest spring on record, and the country's driest for more than 100 years. It's going to be another warm week; keeping hydrated is essential. Have a reusable bottle filled with tap water in the fridge saves running the tap until it's cold each time 💧. A simple change like this, means we can all enjoy more this summer.#SouthEastWater💦 #SimpleChanges — South East Water (@sewateruk) June 16, 2025 The Environment Agency is recommending that water companies manage the demand for the resource from houses and businesses, as well as halve the amount lost to leaks. They are also calling for more reservoirs and desalination plants to be built, which turn seawater into drinkable water. The agency wants to see a rollout of smart meters, including upgrading existing standard meters, which it said would help households reduce their water use. They also said it would continue to work with the Government on a mandatory efficiency labelling scheme for appliances such as dishwashers, toilets and showers. Environment Agency chairman Alan Lovell said: 'The nation's water resources are under huge and steadily increasing pressure. 'This deficit threatens not only the water from your tap but also economic growth and food production. We may have had some rain 🌧️ but reduced reservoir levels and damage to ecosystems have affected many regions. Help preserve water supplies and the natural environment. Learn how you can help today: — CCW - The voice for water consumers (@CCWvoice) June 12, 2025 'Taking water unsustainably from the environment will have a disastrous impact on our rivers and wildlife. 'We need to tackle these challenges head on and strengthen work on co-ordinated action to preserve this precious resource and our current way of life.' There are a number of ways to reduce your water usage at home, according to the Energy Saving Trust. One of those is to reduce the time spent in the shower, keeping it between three and five minutes, and using a timer to make sure you don't go over. It also recommends filling up your kettle only as much as you need and making sure you have a full load before putting on the dishwasher. Recommended reading: I compared £1.39 to £200 dehumidifiers in autumn – which one saved my house? Use your washing machine during this 'magic hour' to slash your energy bills The genius water bowl hack that cleans an entire oven in just 20 minutes Elsewhere, the WWF recommends not keeping the tap running when brushing your teeth, as that can waste as much as six litres of water a minute. Filling a bowl when you're doing the washing up can also be useful. They add: "Filling a bowl with water – and cleaning the cleanest items first – means you're unlikely to need to change the water and will save a huge amount of water in comparison to washing everything under the tap." Additionally, fitting low-flow aerators on your taps and showers means that you get the same water pressure but use much less water.
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on drought warnings: risks to the food supply need confronting
It is so ingrained in British culture to celebrate sunshine that unless you are a farmer or gardener, it is unusual to complain about the lack of rain. But alarms are being sounded by environmentalists and farmers after a very dry spring followed a winter during which parts of the country, including Northern Ireland, had only 70% of average rainfall. Some crops are already failing, and worse will follow unless more rain arrives soon. Conditions at the moment are said to resemble 2022 – the last time that farms suffered significant losses due to drought. In certain regions, fields have had to be irrigated months earlier than usual. The National Drought Group, which coordinates management of scarce water resources, met on Wednesday. Long-range forecasts are predicting more warm, sunny weather, but the UK's weather is changeable. Two years ago the driest June on record was followed by an exceptionally wet July. While it is too soon to say for sure what the summer will bring, it is not too soon to start preparing. With the drought risk classified as medium, the Environment Agency is advising people to start limiting their water use. Water companies have also been asked to take action, and some have begun repairing reservoirs. Levels are particularly low in the north of England, where less rain fell over the winter. Depending on what happens in the next few weeks, summer hosepipe bans could become more likely. Worrying about drought and flood risks at the same time is probably still counterintuitive to many: too little and too much rain sound like opposite problems. But as the Climate Change Committee warned parliament last month, in its latest report on the UK's progress in adapting to the climate crisis, the increased likelihood of extreme weather includes both. The watchdog's sobering verdict was that, despite commitments in Labour's manifesto, national resilience and preparedness have not improved. Some experts liken the water companies' approach to 'praying for rain'. Their failure to invest in new infrastructure, including reservoirs as well as sewage treatment plants, stands as an indictment of water privatisation. Higher drought risks, along with polluted waterways, are the price being paid for that political choice. Flood risks, meanwhile, keep rising as weather systems become less stable. Ministers must surely heed warnings against cutting flood defences, and learn from the disaster that followed torrential rains in Spain last October, when about 230 people were killed. It was, after all, in order to promote evidence-based climate policy and minimise the likelihood of shortsighted decisions, that the expert, non-partisan Climate Change Committee was set up. Along with threats to life, risks to agriculture must also be addressed. This was one area in which the committee's adaptation report tentatively highlighted some positive changes, though it also warned that exceptionally poor arable harvests such as last year's could become more common. While drought jeopardises spring planting, traditional winter crops are limited by heavy rain. Some farmers are already experimenting with alternatives; the UK has a growing number of vineyards and has seen its first chickpea harvest. Communication has always been a crucial aspect of the climate challenge. Right now, the risks posed by drought ought to bolster public support for net-zero policies, and encourage ministers to go further in the interests of food security.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
England facing summer drought after driest start to spring in generations brings low reservoirs, struggling crops and wildfires
A summer drought could be looming in England after the driest start to spring in generations. Lack of rainfall has left reservoir levels dwindling, crops struggling and vegetation parched, leading to wildfires in Cumbria, Derbyshire and Dorset, and triggering warnings from the Environment Agency. Following a meeting of the National Drought Group of water companies, farming groups and other senior officials on Wednesday, the regulator has warned that, without sustained rainfall, hosepipe bans and other restrictive measures could become necessary in the months ahead. Urging water firms to do more to safeguard supplies, Richard Thompson, the agency's deputy director of water, said the prospect of drought was a sign of things to come. 'The changing climate means we will see more summer droughts in the coming decades,' said Thompson. 'The last two years were some of the wettest on record for England, but drier conditions at the start of this year mean a drought is a possibility and we need to be prepared. 'It's heartening to see more people looking to reduce their water use and we expect water companies to do more to cut leakage and roll out smart meters.' After heavy rainfall over the past two years, England has experienced its driest start to spring in March and April since 1956. Met Office figures have shown that rainfall was at about half the expected level in April, which was the sunniest on record for the month, and only a quarter of the long-term average in March. While there have been significant regional differences, the overall picture is sobering, with reservoirs just 84% full nationally. To put that in context, water levels were at 90% at the end of April 2022, which turned out to be the fifth driest summer since the 1890s. The issue is particularly acute in the north of England. Reservoir levels are either notably low or exceptionally low across the north-east and north-west, where it has been the driest start to the year since 1929. Typically in such circumstances, water companies rely on local rivers. But while chalk groundwater levels are generally good, river flows are unseasonably low across northern and central England. According to the National Farmers Union, farmers have had to start irrigating crops early, placing greater pressure on their onsite storage reservoirs and attracting heightened scrutiny from the Environment Agency. Jenna Hegarty, head of policy at the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said current conditions underscored the need to make farms more climate resilient by taking steps to restore soil health, increase natural shade and shelter, and cut down on the use of chemicals. 'Many farmers are already leading the way, but we urgently need more support to scale up nature-friendly and climate-smart farming,' said Hegarty. 'From improved climate-resilient infrastructure, such as new reservoirs, to increased funding that allows farmers to share knowledge and best practice, government leadership is essential to drive this transition.' Rachel Hallos, vice-president of the National Farmers' Union, urged the government to recognise the importance of water for food production. 'The extreme weather patterns we have experienced over the past few years is impacting our ability to feed the nation,' said Hallos, who called for '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'. Weather patterns in the UK have veered between extremes in recent years, ranging from droughts and record-breaking heat to heavy rainfall and flooding. In 2022, the country experienced scorching conditions, with temperatures reaching 40C for the first time. Persistent dry spells led to official declarations of drought in some areas. But the following year brought a marked change as England experienced its fourth wettest year since the Met Office began compiling data. By the following September, further heavy rainfall saw the country register its wettest 12-month period since 1871, according to the Environment Agency. But 2025 has brought below-average rainfall every month so far, including the sixth driest March on record. 'Our water infrastructure is crumbling after years of under-investment,' said water minister Emma Hardy. 'Water companies must go further and faster to cut leaks and build the infrastructure needed to secure our water supply.'
Bloomberg
07-05-2025
- Climate
- Bloomberg
UK Water Firms Warned to Protect Supply as Drought Risks Worsen
The UK is urging water companies to protect supplies as the driest start to spring in 69 years threatens reservoir levels and river flows. The environment regulator held a meeting of the National Drought Group on Wednesday saying that with reservoirs at 84% full, there is now a medium risk of summer shortages, according to a statement.
The Guardian
06-05-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
England faces drought this summer as reservoir water levels dwindle
England is heading towards a drought this summer unless there is significant rainfall soon, as reservoir water levels dwindle. The government will on Wednesday convene the National Drought Group of water companies, farming groups and other experts to prepare for what is expected to be a dry summer with potential water shortages. Scotland has already sounded the alarm over drought in the coming months, issuing an 'early warning' of water scarcity in April. No reservoirs have been built in England for more than 30 years, which leaves the country particularly vulnerable to drought. Reservoir levels are lower than they should be after parts of the country had their driest spring on record, and if the dry weather continues as predicted there may be water shortages leading to hosepipe bans and potentially other forms of rationing. To avert a drought, there would need to be rainfall at levels last seen in 2012, when record-breaking deluges caused floods across the country, according to the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management. A spokesperson for CIWEM said: 'Rainfall totals across much of the British Isles have been low since the start of 2025. This has reduced the amount of recharge and refill possible in groundwater and reservoir resources over the 2024-25 winter, and left water resources below the levels companies would like to see at the start of the spring/summer seasons. The data shows that at present 2025 rainfall is similar to levels last seen in drought events of the last 20 years. It suggests that sustained rainfall, such as that last seen in 2012, would be required to remove the threat of drought this year.' However, long-term forecasts suggest the conditions are ripe for very warm and dry months ahead. April was the sunniest since records began, with a mean temperature of 9.6C (49.3F) for the UK, 1.7C above average, making it the third warmest April for mean temperature since the series began in 1884. The UK received just over 56% of the rainfall it would usually expect in April and the Thames area has particularly suffered this spring, getting just 13% of the average rainfall. Several water companies are undertaking work on reservoir repair, including Thames Water, which often faces significant pressure during droughts due to the density of the population it serves in London and the Thames Valley. As the UK's drought preparations come under greater scrutiny, the much-anticipated water industry inquiry, the Cunliffe review, is expected to look at fresh powers to force water companies to collaborate on sharing water stores, industry sources said. This will become an ever more pressing issue as the Environment Agency reduces or imposes tighter conditions on water abstraction licences, which allow companies to take water from rivers to manage supplies. Rainfall in England and Wales chart This forced collaboration would probably trigger spats between companies over costs and licence conditions, the industry sources added. They believe water companies will cite drought-specific needs as justification for higher consumer bills. Climate breakdown means hot, dry spells and droughts will become more likely. The Met Office scientist Emily Carlisle said: 'Met Office UK climate projections indicate that hot spells will become more frequent in our future climate, particularly over the south-east of the UK, with temperatures projected to rise in all seasons.' Reservoir levels are falling concerningly early for this time of year, and would need sustained rainfall to recharge. The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) warned that reservoirs were 10% less full than they should be: 'A continuation of the dry conditions in the north and west, particularly this early in the year, would cause concern regarding water resources over coming months.' United Utilities has particularly low reservoir levels. The regional total is at 71% of capacity, and Haweswater reservoir is already depleted to 62.3%. At this time of year, they are usually up to 98% full. When water supplies run low, companies rely on abstraction from local rivers. However, river flows are far below average for the time of year, with almost every river catchment in the UK well below normal. Some areas had the lowest October to March flows since records for those places began in 1958, according to UKCEH. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Dr Chris White, a reader in engineering for extremes, and head of the Centre for Water, Environment, Sustainability and Public Health at the University of Strathclyde, said the low river flows and reservoir levels were clear indicators of the problem and warned hosepipe bans were likely. 'Our water resource infrastructure is generally designed for average conditions, but in a warming climate, what is 'normal' is an open question. Our water resource infrastructure is not really designed for extremes – both water scarcity and floods – which means we need to rethink how we store, manage and use water better to cope with the full range of events.' A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed the government expected water companies to activate their drought plans, which include rationing measures, should the dry weather continue. 'After years of failure, this government has inherited a crumbling water system which population growth and climate change is putting a tremendous strain on. It's why a record £104bn of private sector investment has been secured to upgrade and build new infrastructure, including nine new reservoirs to secure our future water supply into the decades to come.' A Thames Water spokesperson said: 'March saw significantly less rain than the year before and we do encourage customers to use water wisely through the spring and summer months. 'Our water resources are in a healthy place ahead of this summer, as rainfall was above average through the winter months. Of note, our reservoir levels are healthy for this time of year at 94%. Groundwater levels also remain above average for this time of year for most of the areas in which we operate.' A United Utilities spokesperson said: 'While it has been the driest start to the year in 90 years, we continue to plan our operations for all weather conditions to manage supply and demand. 'Whatever the weather, we always encourage our customers to use water wisely. That way, we can all play our part to make sure there's enough water for people, wildlife and the environment.'
