We cover news from public bodies and utility companies for UK households on power cuts, weather, water, health, safety and security. Each report includes the date and sources, with links to our guides.
The Environment Agency declared drought across more than two thirds of England on 10 August 2026, including Affinity Water's Central and East regions, after record hot dry weather.
Natural Resources Wales has declared drought status for the Gwynedd, Ynys Môn, Clwyd, Dee and Upper Severn catchments, with further areas of South and West Wales moved to prolonged dry weather status.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Wildfire Forum have extended a Very High wildfire risk warning for Central Highlands, Southern and Eastern Scotland until Friday 24 July.
South East Water has announced that its hosepipe ban will extend to customers in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire from 25 July 2026, following restrictions already in force in Kent since 3…
Natural Resources Wales moved catchments in North Wales, the Upper Severn and South East Wales into prolonged dry weather status on 16 July 2026, with several areas later moved to drought status.
A wildfire near Glenmore in the Cairngorms National Park, first reported shortly before 12pm on 15 July 2026, grew to around 10 square kilometres and led to evacuations, road closures and a major…
South Staffs Water has asked all its customers to use water for essential purposes only after demand reached record levels in prolonged hot, dry weather, warning that restrictions may follow.
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water asked customers to help keep taps flowing after demand passed a billion litres a day during the third heatwave of 2026.
Southern Water brought in hosepipe restrictions for its customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on 10 July 2026, one of a series of temporary use bans introduced by water companies during a dry…
Essex & Suffolk Water has formally asked customers in Suffolk to use less water after three heatwaves and almost no rain since 1 July, with demand up seven million litres a day.
Cambridge Water has imposed a temporary hosepipe ban across its region from 9 July 2026, enforceable from 1am on 17 July 2026, after record demand and one of the driest springs in recent years.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has warned that Dorset and Wiltshire face exceptionally difficult wildfire conditions this weekend, after attending four significant field fires in a single…
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has attended a number of fires involving large areas of land, fields and heath since 8 July 2026, and warns of exceptionally difficult wildfire conditions…
The National Fire Chiefs Council has warned that the UK's third heatwave since late May is raising wildfire risk, and asked people to avoid disposable barbecues and extinguish cigarettes fully.
South East Water brought hosepipe restrictions into force for its customers in Kent from 00:01 on Friday 3 July 2026, the first area covered by a temporary use ban that later spread across its supply…
England recorded its driest July on record, the Met Office has confirmed, with 6.5mm of rainfall and 19 counties seeing 1mm or less across the whole month.
Essex & Suffolk Water has introduced a Temporary Use Ban on hosepipe use across Essex, Suffolk, part of Norfolk and two London boroughs, its first such restriction in 29 years.
South East Water introduced hosepipe restrictions in Sussex in July because of low river levels and rainfall, and further restrictions followed in October as reservoir levels fell.
Fire and rescue services in England and Wales responded to 458 wildfires in July 2026, the highest monthly total recorded, as the National Fire Chiefs Council warned of sustained pressure during…
South East Water announced a temporary use ban for Kent on 25 June 2026, in force from 00:01 on 3 July 2026, after demand peaked at 687 million litres a day.