A severe drought has been declared across six areas of southern England after the region experienced its driest April to September in more than a century. The Environment Agency confirmed the declaration for parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex, and West Sussex, following a review by the National Drought Group.
It is the highest level of drought that can be declared. The announcement was prompted by critical concerns about two major reservoirs; one in West Sussex, which serves about 95,000 properties, stands at just 16% capacity.
Normal levels for this time of year should be about 75%. Southeast Water and South West Water have been granted drought permits to reduce the amount of water released into nearby rivers by a million liters or less per day.
Hosepipe bans remain in force across Devon, Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and parts of Dorset and Somerset. Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagles said the country had not experienced this level of drought for decades, adding that the government was working closely with water companies to protect supplies.
Under the new status, companies must conduct daily monitoring of reservoir and river levels. The Environment Agency will increase compliance checks on businesses that abstract water from natural sources.
Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy stated that recovery must depend on both rainfall and responsible usage. "We cannot change the weather, but what a company can do now," he said, urging the public to use less water.
He emphasized that the current situation requires immediate collective action to prevent further depletion of the remaining water reserves. Data analysed by Sky News shows weather stations in affected counties recorded almost 40% less rain than average between April and September.
This makes 2026 the driest six-month period in at least a hundred years for the region. Local authorities are coordinating with emergency services to ensure that essential services remain unaffected despite the severe water shortage.
Residents have been advised to follow strict conservation guidelines issued by the water utility providers. The government is also considering long-term infrastructure projects to improve water storage capacity across the United Kingdom.
These measures are intended to mitigate the impact of future climate-related challenges on the national water supply network. As the situation develops, the National Drought Group will continue to meet weekly to assess the data.
Further restrictions may be implemented if the rainfall levels do not improve significantly in the coming months.