National Drought Group Convenes as Water Shortfall Grips England, Prompting Urgent Calls for Action
LONDON, United Kingdom – August 12, 2025: The country doesn’t have enough water. Because of this, the National Drought Group met to talk about saving water quickly. It has been dry for a while, and it will stay like this until mid-autumn. So, water companies are thinking about doing things like putting stricter rules in place. The water level in reservoirs, rivers, and underground is getting low. This is happening because it didn’t rain much in the spring and summer. This is causing problems in farming and getting around on boats. A plan is needed to make sure the country has enough water.
Who’s Involved?
The National Drought Group (NDG), which includes people from the government, the Environment Agency, water companies, and groups like the National Farmers’ Union, got together to talk about the problem. Steve Reed, who is in charge of the environment, told the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster about the problems because of the dry weather.
At the meeting, everyone talked about what they are doing to save water right away. Helen Wakeham from the Environment Agency said that everyone needs to do their part to help. She also said that water companies need to fix leaks fast and try to save water.
Why Is This Happening?
It didn’t rain much during the spring and summer. There was only 89% of the normal amount of rain in July. England’s reservoirs don’t have much water in them. The Wye and the Great Ouse rivers are super low, and the water underground probably won’t get better until October.
This is causing problems all over. Many canals are closed because there isn’t enough water to move boats. Farmers are trying to grow food and feed animals. The Environment Agency said that fish are dying because of the drought. Southern Water, which has already told people they can’t use hosepipes, wants to stop businesses from filling swimming pools and doing other things that aren’t important.
What’s the Plan?
The people at the NDG meeting talked about what England needs to do about water in the future. The Environment Agency thinks that by 2050, the country will be short almost 5 billion liters of water every day. Things like weather changes, more people living in the country, and looking after nature are the cause.
The National Framework for Water Resources, made by the Environment Agency and water companies, is a big part of the plan. They want to cut down how much water people use to 110 liters per person each day by 2050 and fix half of the leaks. They are also looking at ways to get more water, like building new reservoirs, using machines to turn salt water into drinking water, and moving water to where it’s needed.
What Are Water Companies Doing?
People are wondering if water companies are taking the problem seriously. People are complaining that there are still a lot of leaks. The NDG is telling companies to fix leaks fast because people are watching them.
The government made a plan for water in 2023. It has new rules for water companies, like bigger fines and new powers for the people in charge. The drought is forcing companies to start working on those long-term plans for fixing pipes and saving water.
The water problem in England isn’t just because of the dry weather. It’s a bigger issue. The National Drought Group is talking about doing a few things. This includes putting rules in place right away and spending money on pipes and ways to save water in the future. How England deals with its water problem depends on how well the government, water companies, and everyone else work together as the weather is getting worse.
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