Somerset drought warning as impacts could last for months

Somerset is among large parts of England declared in drought after weeks of hot, dry weather pushed rivers lower and increased pressure on farms, wildlife and water supplies. The Environment Agency has placed its Wessex area, which includes Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and south Gloucestershire, into drought as conditions continue to deteriorate.

Half of England is affected, with large swathes of central, eastern and southern England experiencing what the regulator describes as a flash drought caused by a combination of very low rainfall and higher temperatures. Farmers are having to harvest some crops early, wildfire risk has increased and millions of people are living with restrictions on water use.

The Environment Agency has stepped up monitoring and controls over how much water can be taken from rivers and groundwater. Helen Wakeham, the agency's director of water and chair of the National Drought Group, said demand was currently outstripping nature's ability to replenish supplies.

"The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it," she said. "A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife, and the economy."

She added: "We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated during the hot weather but every drop we can save is a drop more for nature and agriculture."

Seven areas have been declared in drought: East Anglia; Hertfordshire and the whole of London; the Thames Valley; Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; Devon and Cornwall; the West Midlands; and Wessex.

For Somerset, the warning carries particular weight because of the county's wetlands and waterways. Jim Flory, environment manager for the Environment Agency's Wessex area, said Bristol, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire were facing the same pressures as other drought-hit parts of England.

"The South West faces the same pressures as many other parts of England who are also in drought," he said. "Water demand is high, rainfall is low."

Mr Flory added: "Water is precious. Not only do we rely on it but so does the environment, with protected, designated areas like the Somerset Levels and Moors reliant on maintained water levels."

He said everyone had a duty to use water wisely and added that the Environment Agency investigates cases where water is being abstracted illegally from the environment.

The National Drought Group, bringing together the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, farmers, the Canal & River Trust, anglers and conservation experts, held a dedicated briefing with Water Minister Emma Hardy on Tuesday, 28 July. Water companies have been told to prioritise fixing leaks, while officials are also working with farmers and suppliers to help secure water supplies into the autumn.

Ms Hardy said increasingly frequent droughts were part of a changing climate and required longer-term preparation. She said the Government was pursuing investment in water infrastructure, including nine new reservoirs, while expecting water companies to reduce leaks and follow their drought plans.

"We expect water companies to follow their drought plans, to go further and faster to reduce leaks, and to ensure supplies are not disrupted even in the driest of weather," she said.

The latest drought means England has now experienced three droughts in five years, in 2022, 2025 and 2026. This year's conditions have also brought a sharp reversal from a very wet winter to an exceptionally hot and dry summer.

Winter rainfall helped replenish reservoirs and groundwater, allowing the dry spring to pass without major impacts. But the hot and dry weather continued into summer, with July recording just 7% of expected rainfall nationally and only 1% across southern England.

Met Office chief meteorologist Will Lang said the prolonged dry spell was having a significant impact across much of England. He said many areas received very little or no rain throughout July, extending a period of below-average rainfall stretching back to the spring.

"The Met Office continues to work closely with the Environment Agency and partners across the water sector, providing expert meteorological information and forecasts to support drought monitoring, planning and response activities," he said.

As of Friday, 7 August, Wessex Water customers are not subject to a temporary use or hosepipe ban. The company says its last hosepipe ban was in 1976, although customers are still being encouraged to use water carefully as dry conditions continue. The position is different in some neighbouring water-supply areas. South West Water has introduced restrictions affecting some customers amid what it says is significant pressure on water resources, meaning Somerset residents should check which company supplies their drinking water rather than assuming the county-wide drought declaration means the same rules apply everywhere.

Wessex Water says it needs customers to make small, simple changes while still enjoying the summer to avoid restrictions.

These include:

Letting the lawn go brown – it will recover when the rain comes
Using a watering can instead of a hose or sprinkler could save up to 1,000 litres an hour – that's as much as a family of four uses in two days
Reusing washing up water for patio pots and moving pots into the shade so they dry out less
Reusing paddling pool water and covering them when not in use to prevent evaporation
Keeping showers short and not leaving taps running while brushing teeth or doing the dishes
Not washing the car – be proud of having a dirty car, just keep the windscreen and number plate clean.

Will Willoughby, director of water supply at Wessex Water, said: "We know that a hosepipe ban would not be welcome news for our customers, especially during the summer holidays. A ban is a last resort for us, and we don't want to introduce one, but we do need customers to help.

"If all customers can make small changes to their daily water use habits, this will make a big impact and help keep water flowing for each other, businesses and the environment.''

He added: "Throughout the summer our teams have been working around the clock to find and fix more leaks on our network, prioritising those that are wasting the most water and increasing the number of repairs we complete.

"We're also contacting larger business customers who are high water users to encourage them to avoid non-essential water use, but we need everyone to work together. If demand doesn't reduce, we will need to introduce more formal restrictions to protect water supplies, which is why we're asking customers to work with us now to help avoid this."