Water companies ordered to strengthen supply protection as severe drought continues

Water companies in England have been instructed to strengthen measures to protect public water supplies as severe drought conditions continue in several areas.

At a National Drought Group meeting on 19 October, water company executives were asked to explain how they were responding to exceptionally low reservoir levels.

The Government published details of the meeting on 20 October, confirming that companies were taking additional operational steps to safeguard supplies.

What measures are water companies taking?

Measures reported to the National Drought Group included increased leak detection, transferring water between parts of distribution networks and reducing water pressure overnight where appropriate.

Some companies are also reducing the amount of water released from reservoirs into rivers, subject to the relevant arrangements.

The Government has instructed closer monitoring of reservoir and river levels, alongside additional water quality checks.

These measures follow the severe drought declaration announced on 15 October, which affected parts of six English counties.

Reservoir levels remain unusually low

The Environment Agency’s latest weekly drought report, published on 23 October, indicates that recent rainfall has not been sufficient to reverse the overall decline in water resources.

Reservoir storage across England remained at approximately 54% of capacity, around 22 percentage points below the long-term average for the time of year.

Thirteen reservoirs or reservoir groups were classified as exceptionally low.

The Environment Agency also expressed concern that farmers could struggle to refill agricultural storage reservoirs over winter, potentially affecting water availability for irrigation in 2027.

Does this mean household water supplies will be interrupted?

Not necessarily.

The Government said the measures were intended to protect customer supplies and prevent interruptions.

However, temporary water-use restrictions remain in place in several company supply areas.

Households should check restrictions with their own water provider rather than assuming the same rules apply nationally.

Simple measures such as repairing leaks, avoiding unnecessary water use and operating washing machines with full loads can help reduce demand.

Keeping a modest emergency drinking-water supply is also sensible preparation for unexpected local interruptions, regardless of drought conditions.

Our UK emergency water storage guide explains how much water to consider storing and how to keep it safely.