England severe drought: what water companies are doing
The government has called water company chief executives into the National Drought Group after severe drought was declared in parts of England. According to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the aim is simple: act early, watch reservoir and river levels every day, and protect public water supplies before households see disruption. That matters because a severe drought declaration is not just a label. It gives regulators and water companies more room to take protective action sooner. Ministers have stressed that customer supplies are still running, but they also want companies to show exactly what they are doing and why.
What the companies described is a mix of short-term fixes and pressure relief. According to the government, they are speeding up leak detection, moving water through different parts of their networks to support the lowest reservoirs, and in some places reducing water pressure overnight where that can be done safely. If you are wondering why this helps, think of the system as a set of connected storage tanks and pipes. Less leakage means less treated water is lost. Shifting water around the network can support the areas under the most strain. Lower overnight pressure can cut waste too, although it also shows how tight the situation has become in some places.
The areas under the closest watch are Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The government says the South East and South West had their driest April-to-September period in more than a century, leaving reservoirs under real pressure, especially Ardingly in West Sussex and Wimbleball in Somerset. There are also local emergency-style steps already under way. In Cornwall, temporary pumps have been put in place to help move water around the area supplied by South West Water's Stithians reservoir. That tells you this is not only about rainfall totals on a map. It is also about whether water can be moved to where people and places need it most.
Some of the most difficult choices involve rivers. The Environment Agency has granted drought permits to South West Water and South East Water so they can reduce the amount of water released from reservoirs into local rivers, including from Wimbleball into the River Exe and from Ardingly into the River Ouse. This is where drought planning becomes a trade-off. Keeping more water in a reservoir can protect public supplies, but less water in a river can put extra stress on habitats and wildlife. That is why fish rescue plans are being prepared in case levels fall further. It is also why the National Drought Group includes not only ministers and water companies, but farmers, hydrologists, conservation experts, anglers, the Canal & River Trust and the Met Office.
Further restrictions may still be on the way. According to the government, the Environment Secretary is considering applications from South East Water, South West Water and Southern Water for non-essential use bans, while Wessex Water is preparing seven more drought permit applications for the Environment Agency to review. For readers, the key point is that a drought plan is meant to move from paper to action quickly. The Environment Agency says companies should be fixing leaks faster, speaking clearly to customers about water use, and applying early if they think tighter controls may be needed. In other words, this stage is about preparedness, not waiting for the taps to fail.
The weather may bring some relief, but not a full reset. The National Drought Group heard that the first half of October was dry, although wetter weather was expected later in the week. Even so, the Environment Agency says at least 120% of average rainfall is needed over the next six months for the country to be considered out of drought by the start of spring. That figure is worth pausing on. One wet weekend can make gardens look greener, but it does not quickly refill depleted reservoirs or restore river flows after a long dry spell. The Met Office has said it is too early to know whether the latest unsettled weather will bring the broad, sustained rainfall needed to make a major difference.
What does all this mean for you? First, the official message is that customer supplies will not be interrupted at this stage. Second, the fact that severe drought has been declared shows that the system is under strain and that saving water now is easier than dealing with a bigger shortage later. Water Minister Emma Hardy said companies must keep stepping up their efforts and that the public can help by using water wisely. The charity Waterwise has made the same point more bluntly: England's water is limited, demand has grown, and climate change is making supplies less reliable at the times we need them most. The clearest way to read this moment is not as panic, but as a warning. Your water is still on, yet every drop now matters more.