Reform UK has announced plans to end annual hosepipe bans by scrapping the government's water reduction targets and cutting red tape to speed up the construction of new reservoirs. The announcement comes as five key reservoirs across England and Wales are now 'exceptionally low'.
Reservoir levels fall to 66%
Recent data from the Environment Agency shows total reservoir levels across England have fallen to 66 per cent, down from 69 per cent last week. The heatwaves, coupled with minimal rainfall in July, mean around 70 per cent of the country is officially in drought.
South West Water has issued a hosepipe ban for Devon, Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Dorset and Somerset, as hot and dry weather puts pressure on the company's water supplies. Meanwhile, United Utilities had ruled out plans to introduce a hosepipe ban across Greater Manchester and the North West.
Party blames immigration and lack of planning
Reform has blamed the problem on the previous Labour and Conservative governments, pinning it on high immigration levels. In a document announcing their latest proposals, the party said enough rain had fallen in Britain 'for our largest reservoir to have been filled 700 times over'.
The statement added: "This is the consequence of mass immigration and a failure to plan and to build infrastructure. A prosperous country should not have to turn the taps off in the summer. This is the consequence of the Tories importing 12 million people over fourteen years, placing huge strain on our infrastructure. Rather than recognising that we are an island nation, blessed with abundant rainfall, Labour is insisting we use less water, with a target of reducing the use of water by 20pc per person by 2038. This is not the answer. We must embrace abundance and build as many reservoirs as it takes to ensure that a lack of water is never a constraint in Britain. This is common sense."
Last major reservoir built over 30 years ago
The last major reservoir to be built in the UK was over 30 years ago. Carsington Water, in Derbyshire, was completed in 1991 and officially opened to the public in 1992. The Environment Agency warned last year of a potential 5 billion litre per day shortfall in public water supplies by 2055 without urgent action.
To tackle the ongoing crisis, Nigel Farage's party wants reservoirs containing 10-30 million cubic metres of water (or 10-30,000 mega litres) to qualify for the special national infrastructure planning regime, whereas currently the threshold is 30,000 mega litres. Reform also wants to remove some of the red tape involved in building reservoirs, as well as support the construction of desalination plants, which remove salts and other minerals from water, making it suitable for human consumption.
Government action and future plans
In 2025, the Government took control of the planning process for the construction of two new reservoirs in Lincolnshire and East Anglia. Anglian Water proposed the Lincolnshire Reservoir, with the aim of becoming operational by 2040. The company says it will provide up to 166 million litres of water daily for up to 500,000 homes. They partnered with Cambridge Water to propose the Fens Reservoir. Set to be completed in 2036, it will supply 87 million litres to 250,000 homes in the driest region of the UK.
On Saturday the Prime Minister visited farmers in the south west affected by the drought, pledging £65million of funding alongside new measures to help them manage the impact of this summer's dry weather. It followed his Cobra meeting earlier this week, which was an emergency response to the extreme heat, wildfires and drought.
