Environment Agency declares drought in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

Southern Water submitted an application to DEFRA on Friday 31 July for a Drought Order covering the River Test and a Non-Essential Use Ban for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, following the Environment Agency's declaration that the two areas are in drought¹. The company described both measures as precautionary and said that making an application does not mean they will need to be introduced¹.

The company said the declaration, together with river levels that remain low, took it past the trigger level that requires it to apply for both measures¹. A Drought Order would allow it to continue taking water from the River Test to keep customers' taps running; it would not permit abstraction of more water than usual, but would allow the same amount to be taken when river flows are lower¹. A Non-Essential Use Ban is the next level of drought restrictions after a hosepipe ban and, if implemented, would apply to business and commercial activities that use large amounts of water but are not considered essential¹. The company said any drought measures would be subject to extensive environmental monitoring and controls¹.

Public notices were published in local media on the same day, with the statutory consultation period running from 4 to 11 August¹. On its own work, the company said leakage is down 23% since 2023 and that since January it has repaired over 4,000 leaks, equating to 40 million litres of water a day in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight¹. It said it is developing new sources of water, including the first new reservoir to be built in the South East in 30 years in partnership with Portsmouth Water, planned water recycling technology, and another reservoir in Oxfordshire with Thames Water¹.

The date of the Environment Agency's declaration is not given in the company's announcement, and the Environment Agency's own statement on the declaration has not been reported here.

Why it matters for households

Households in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are in an area officially declared to be in drought¹. The application does not itself impose new restrictions: the Non-Essential Use Ban, if implemented, would fall on business and commercial activities using large amounts of water rather than on domestic use, and the company states that applying does not mean the measures will be needed¹. The Drought Order sought for the River Test concerns the company's abstraction of water, not household rules, and would not increase the volume it may take¹. The company thanked customers for avoiding hosepipe use and making small changes at home, which it said are helping to reduce pressure on the River Test¹. How a drought is declared in England, and what each stage means, is set out in the guide to how drought is declared in England; the different restriction instruments are explained in drought permits, orders and emergency rota cuts, and household guidance is collected in Heatwaves and Drought.

What happens next

The statutory consultation runs from 4 to 11 August¹. DEFRA's decision on the application, and whether either measure is introduced, has not been announced.