A drought was officially declared in eight regions of England on 12 August 2022, one day before residents in parts of Surrey were left without water or with low pressure because of a technical issue at a treatment works1. The Surrey outage affected households across postcodes GU5, GU6, RH4, RH5 and RH12, with the Netley Mill water treatment works serving 8,500 properties in Cranleigh and surrounding villages1.
Thames Water said it was doing everything it could to resume supplies and had set up three bottled water hubs, with more to open if there was demand1. The company advised that the supplies were for "essential use, like drinking, cooking, and hand washing" and urged people to take only what they needed1. Jeremy Hunt, the MP for South West Surrey, said he had "big concerns" over the outage and had contacted Thames Water's chief executive, Sarah Bentley, on the Saturday morning1.
"If you have a neighbour who's unable to get to a water station, please let us know and we'll do our best to make sure our limited supplies are fairly handed out"
Restrictions were already spreading across the water companies. Welsh Water, Southern Water and South East Water had all imposed hosepipe bans, while Yorkshire Water's restrictions were due to be introduced on 26 August1. Thames Water was expected to introduce a hosepipe ban in the coming weeks, affecting 15 million people in London and surrounding areas, and had admitted that its efforts to curb water wastage were not as effective as it hoped, losing more than 635 million litres of water a day1.
| Area or company | Position reported |
|---|---|
| Eight regions of England | Drought officially declared on 12 August 20221 |
| Surrey (GU5, GU6, RH4, RH5, RH12) | Bottled water hubs opened after problems at Netley Mill works1 |
| Welsh Water, Southern Water, South East Water | Hosepipe bans imposed1 |
| Yorkshire Water | Restrictions to be introduced on 26 August1 |
| Thames Water | Hosepipe ban expected in the coming weeks, affecting 15 million people1 |
The hot weather prompted the Met Office to issue an amber heat warning, with temperatures possibly reaching 35 degrees over the weekend1. Increasing temperatures had sparked wildfires, with four fire engines tackling a blaze in Derbyshire on the Friday and firefighters also called to blazes in east London and Dorset1.
Why it matters for households
The declaration covered eight regions of England, and the restrictions reported were not uniform: some companies had already brought in hosepipe bans, Yorkshire Water's were dated for 26 August, and Thames Water's were expected in the coming weeks1. For households in the affected Surrey postcodes, the practical change was loss of supply or low pressure, with bottled water available at three hubs for essential use and a request from Thames Water that neighbours who could not reach a station be reported so limited supplies could be shared fairly1. The Met Office amber heat warning applied over the weekend, and the fire services' callouts show the wildfire risk that came with the heat1. How drought is declared in England, and what each stage means, is set out in the guide to how drought is declared in England and what each stage means; the wider picture of heatwaves and drought and of water supply is covered in the site's hubs.
What happens next
Yorkshire Water's restrictions were scheduled for 26 August, and Thames Water's hosepipe ban was expected in the coming weeks1. Thames Water said it would open more bottled water hubs if there was demand1. No end date for the drought declaration, and no date for the resumption of full supply at Netley Mill, has been reported1.
Past UK Droughts and Heatwaves
Why UK Summers Are Hotter
Drought Stages in England
