The Environment Agency convened a National Drought Group meeting on Thursday (5 June) to discuss the latest outlook and hear from water companies about steps they are taking to prepare for the summer.
England has only seen 57% of the long-term average May rainfall and spring is the driest since the reign of Queen Victoria. However, the recent rain at the end of May and the start of June is helping to stabilise the position.
The expert group will now meet monthly following a drought declaration in the north-west. Four other areas – the north-east, Yorkshire, east and west midlands – are also experiencing prolonged dry weather.
The EA told the group it has stepped up its operational response. This includes more compliance checks on businesses who abstract water, such as manufacturers, and increased monitoring of river and groundwater levels.
The regulator is also working with all members of the National Drought Group, including the National Farmers Union, to help farmers plan their water needs over the summer.
At the meeting, water companies updated the group on how they are implementing their drought plans, including increased communication with customers and speeding up the fixing of leaks.
“It’s been the driest spring since 1893, and we need to be prepared for more summer droughts as our climate changes,” said Helen Wakeham (EA Director of Water and National Drought Group Chair).
“The recent rainfall is having a positive effect, but it hasn’t been enough to stop a drought in the north-west, and we must ensure we have enough water to last the entire summer,” she said.
“We are working with water companies, farmers and other abstractors to help them plan their water usage over the summer and urge people to be mindful about their daily use.”
Concerns over water shortage
The National Drought Group heard that without further substantial rain, some water companies may need to implement further drought measures this summer to conserve supplies.
“We face a water shortage in the next decade. That’s why the government is taking urgent steps to secure supplies into the future, as part of our Plan for Change,” said Water Minister Emma Hardy.
“As an immediate step, we have convened the National Drought Group to make sure water companies are acting to conserve this precious resource and act in line with their drought plans.”
The Government has secured over £104 billion of private sector investment to fund essential infrastructure, including nine new reservoirs, and to cut leakage by 17% over the next five years. This is the first time that the country has built new reservoirs in over 30 years.
Looking ahead
While some early-June rain will bring some relief, several signs point to it being a dry Summer for parts of the UK.
“After the driest Spring for more than a century across England, the start of June has brought some much-needed rainfall with a mix of Atlantic weather systems interspersed with drier and sunnier periods expected to continue over the coming days,” said Dr Will Lang (Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office)
“Most areas will experience showers at times with some seeing longer spells of rain. From mid-June onwards, the forecast becomes less clear with signs of drier conditions becoming more dominant across southern England.”
Looking further ahead, the chance of a hot summer is higher than normal with an associated increased risk of heatwaves and related impacts, Lang said.
“After the more unsettled and wetter start to June, the likelihoods of a wetter or drier than average summer remain evenly balanced.”
Leave a Reply