A drought has been officially declared across large parts of England following a meeting of the National Drought Group, as the country experiences prolonged dry conditions with some regions receiving no significant rainfall all summer.
The Environment Agency has moved eight of its 14 areas into drought status: Devon and Cornwall, Solent and South Downs, Kent and south London, Herts and north London, East Anglia, Thames, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, and the east Midlands. Yorkshire and the West Midlands are expected to follow later in August.
This declaration allows water companies to impose restrictions more easily, including hosepipe bans. Southern Water and South East Water have already implemented bans, with Welsh Water and Yorkshire Water set to follow later this month. Thames Water has indicated it is ready to impose a ban.
The drought is having severe impacts on agriculture, with half of the potato crop expected to fail due to lack of irrigation. Losses of 10 to 50 per cent are anticipated for crops including carrots, onions, sugar beet, apples, and hops. Milk production has also fallen nationally due to a shortage of animal feed.
Water minister Steve Double assured that essential household water supplies are safe, but warned that the dry conditions are likely to persist due to climate change. The National Drought Group, comprising water companies, government agencies, and farming representatives, will continue to monitor the situation.
