Water UK reiterates call for a national water grid as drought group meets

The National Drought Group met last week amid the driest start to spring in almost 70 years.

In England, March was the driest since 1961 and April received just half its normal rainfall. Currently: 

• Farmers have had an earlier start to the irrigation season and have seen an increased demand on their on-site storage reservoirs. 

• Reservoir storage across England is 84% of total capacity. This compares to 90% at the end of April in the 2022 drought year. Reservoir levels are either notably low or exceptionally low across the North East and North West of England. Both these regions have seen their driest start to the year since 1929. 

• River flows are currently below normal or lower for this time of year across northern and central England.   

• Chalk groundwater levels are generally in a good position.   

• Wildfires have been reported in Cumbria, Derbyshire and Dorset as vegetation is dry.

  
  

Representatives from the Environment Agency (EA) told the group – which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, farmers and conservation experts – that while no area is currently officially in drought, there is a medium risk of one this summer without sustained rainfall.

The EA put the initial onus on water companies to do more to cut leakage, help customers use less and prepare their dry weather plans. Water UK said water companies are already taking action, including over the last couple of weeks a big increase in proactive water saving advice provided to customers (including new radio and TV adverts in some regions); surge teams of technicians have been deployed to fix leaks faster; and companies have been changing where they obtain water from, and moving it around regions differently, to relieve pressure on the hardest-hit sources.

In the longer term, Water UK called for “a new National Water Grid for England to drive through the construction of ten new reservoirs, one reservoir enlargement, nine desalination plants, seven water recycling schemes and multiple long distance transfer schemes to move water from wetter to drier areas. We want to move from a situation in which water companies are ‘running to keep up with demand’ to one in which everyone can be confident that the water will be there when they need it. We hope that the government will agree to implement this recommendation with urgency.”

Meanwhile, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) has called for more agile, proactive drought management and clearer public messaging. Alastair Chisholm, policy director, said: “The system we had in 2022 was too slow to respond; by the time action was taken, damage was already done. We need to stop treating drought management like an emergency failure. It’s a planned response, and it’s time government and water companies clearly explain to the public why early action is essential.”