WIREDGOV

Parts of England have moved into severe drought as prolonged dry weather continues to put enormous strain on water resources and the environment.

The Government has today declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. It comes after the South East and South West of England experienced their driest April to September in over a century, depleting reservoir levels across the area.

People can be reassured that public water supplies will not be interrupted but declaring severe drought will see a ramping up of proactive steps to ensure taps keep running.

The Environment Agency has published a helpful explainer on what severe drought is and the action being taken by Government, regulators and water companies.

Consumers have a key role to play too through using water wisely and CCW has lots of advice and resources to help people save including our Waterfall podcast.

Reacting to the announcement, Mike Keil, Chief Executive of CCW, said:

“The move to severe drought status is exceptionally rare and a stark reminder of the immense strain one of the hottest and driest years on record has had on our rivers, reservoirs and wider water environment. Protecting the environment and water for essential use remains the priority and every individual, business and organisation has a vital role to play through using water wisely.  That could be something as simple as someone turning off the tap while brushing their teeth or shaving a couple of minutes off their shower time. Consumers expect water companies to behave responsibly and lead from the front by showing they have a grip of leakage and supporting people with clear and practical advice on saving water.”