Environment Agency declares drought across more than two thirds of England

The Environment Agency declared drought across more than two thirds of England on 10 August, including Affinity Water's Central and East regions, the water company says¹. Affinity Water has extended its hosepipe ban, formally a Temporary Use Ban, to its East region in addition to the ban already in place across its Central region¹. The East region ban took effect immediately, covering the Tendring Peninsula in Essex¹.

Affinity Water's Central region ban covers Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and parts of London and Essex; the East region ban covers the Tendring Peninsula and surrounding areas of north-east Essex, including Clacton-on-Sea, Harwich and Manningtree¹. Customers in the Central region have been following the restrictions since July¹. The ban also applies to New Appointments and Variations (NAVs) operating in these regions¹.

The company says some parts of its Central region have gone over 40 days without rain, and the region as a whole received just 1% of its long-term average rainfall in July; levels at Grafham Water reservoir, which typically contributes 10% of supply in the Central region, are below average¹. In the East region it says prolonged hot, dry weather has rapidly reduced underground water stores and affected Ardleigh reservoir, which provides around a third of the East region's supply¹. It also reports that England had its warmest June on record, with temperatures reaching as high as 38°C, and that July was the driest on record with only 10% of normal rainfall¹.

Under the ban, hosepipes cannot be used for watering gardens, washing cars, cleaning windows and patios, filling swimming and paddling pools, or using jet washers¹. Affinity Water says customers on its Priority Services Register, on the WaterSure tariff and Blue Badge holders can still use a hosepipe if they are unable to make reasonable adjustments, such as using a watering can, because of a health condition or disability, and that business customers may use a hosepipe where this is directly related to commercial use¹. It states that continuing to use a hosepipe without an exemption is a criminal offence under Section 76(1) of the Water Industry Act 1991, with the categories of restricted use set out in the Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010, and that breaching the restrictions could result in a fine of up to £1,000¹.

Coverage elsewhere puts the drought area differently. The Standard reported on 2 August that half of England and the whole of Wales were officially in drought², while a rainwater harvesting supplier said on 17 August that the Environment Agency had announced 71.3% of England was officially in drought, with 45 million people living in areas affected³. The Standard reported on 23 July that drought had been declared in North Wales and the Upper Severn, the first part of the UK to declare drought status, covering North Gwynedd, Ynys Mon, South Gwynedd, Dee (Wales), Clwyd and Upper Severn⁴. Provisional statistics cited by the Standard showed only 5.6mm of rainfall recorded in England in July, less than half the previous record of 13.4mm set in 1911².

Why it matters for households

Households in Affinity Water's Central and East regions are subject to the restrictions now, and the East region ban applies from the date of the announcement¹. The company says it is monitoring the situation daily and will lift restrictions when it is confident supply can meet demand¹. It asks customers to use water wisely and to stop using hosepipes, and says customers already on its Priority Services Register need do nothing, while those not registered can check the page and sign up if eligible¹. It says it takes all reports of misuse seriously and will investigate¹. Affinity Water also reports that extremely dry ground increases the likelihood of underground pipes shifting and cracking, an effect that can continue for months even after rain returns¹. The Standard reported that Thames Water imposed a hosepipe ban in London, and that hosepipe bans were in force for more than 23 million people from the weekend of 25 and 26 July⁴. The UK Health Security Agency issued a yellow health alert for London from 9am on Sunday 2 August until 9am on Thursday 5 August, as the capital faced a possible fifth heatwave with temperatures forecast to reach 32C on Monday². The Standard reported wildfires in London on Wednesday 22 July: around 40 firefighters spent over five hours at a grass fire in Feltham, where six hectares of heathland were damaged; four fire engines and around 25 firefighters dealt with a blaze off Cranford Lane in Hayes, with damage limited to a hectare of grass; and around 25 firefighters tackled a fire on Ingrebourne Hill, Rainham, where two hectares of grassland were destroyed⁴. Firefighters also spent days tackling a blaze at Dunwich Heath near Leiston, Suffolk, which began at 5.30pm on Wednesday, a few miles from Sizewell B and the Sizewell C construction site; Suffolk County Council said on Friday evening that crews remained at the scene and "good progress is continuing"². The Standard reported that Natural Resources Wales said July was on course to become the driest for Wales for almost 190 years without significant rainfall in the next week⁴.

What happens next

Affinity Water says it will keep the ban in place only as long as necessary and will lift restrictions as soon as it is confident supply can continue to meet demand¹. The UKHSA health alert for London runs until 9am on Thursday 5 August². The Met Office forecast cited by the Standard predicted highs of 28C on Sunday, 32C on Monday and 28C on Tuesday, with meteorologist Tom Moran saying there may be some respite from drought conditions in the south but "we're not looking at anything widespread or particularly significant in terms of rainfall"². The Standard reported predictions of a possible fifth heatwave earlier in August after a dip in temperatures with thunderstorms possible over the first weekend of the month⁴.