The Government has declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex, and has told water companies in the affected areas to step up their drought planning, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) announced on 15 October 2026. Defra said customer water supplies will be uninterrupted. It said the severe drought declared in these areas ensures that proactive steps are taken to safeguard water before any disruption occurs.
Driest April to September in over a century
According to Defra, the South East and South West have experienced their driest April to September in over a century. This has affected reservoir levels in those regions.
H2O Global News has previously reported that South West Water has applied for permission to restrict non-essential water use by some businesses in parts of Devon and West Dorset as drought conditions continue.
Monitoring and compliance measures under the severe drought declared
Under the Government’s plans, ministers are instructing water companies to carry out daily monitoring of reservoir and river levels, along with tougher water quality monitoring. The Environment Agency will increase compliance checks on businesses that withdraw water from natural sources. The checks are intended to ensure those businesses take only permitted quantities of water.
Local Resilience Forums have also been stood up so that support can be developed quickly and effectively if it is required.
Priority for public water supplies
Water Minister Emma Hardy has instructed the Environment Agency to prioritise protecting public water supplies in areas affected by severe drought, where there is an unavoidable trade-off between environmental rules and water supplies. Defra said this means allowing water companies to keep more water in depleted reservoirs.
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: “This level of drought is something we have not experienced for decades, so this government is stepping up our support and planning.”
She added: “We are working closely with water companies to protect public supplies in the areas affected, and I’d continue to urge everyone to think about how they can use water wisely over the coming weeks.”
“Our strengthened Water Bill is all about taking back public control of our water companies. We are at the start of a decade-long journey to a very different water system, including nine new major reservoirs to secure supplies,” Dame Angela said.
National Drought Group urges water saving
The announcement follows the latest meeting of the National Drought Group. The Government has convened the group regularly since August to coordinate the response to what Defra described as unprecedented dry weather, and to hold organisations to account for their actions.
The group includes the Met Office, Government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union, the Canal & River Trust, anglers, hydrologists and conservation experts. It has again urged people to use water wisely to protect supplies.
Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy said: “Record-breaking summer heat and severe drought have put our water resources under immense pressure.”
“Recovery depends on both rainfall and how much water we use. We cannot change the weather, but water companies can act now. We expect them to follow their drought plans and take the steps needed to secure public water supplies,” he said.
He added: “We are also asking everyone to use less water. That will leave more in our rivers and the environment, helping farmers and protecting wildlife and nature.”
Long-term investment in water resilience
Defra said the immediate measures sit alongside longer-term work with water companies to strengthen the UK’s water resilience after decades of underinvestment.
This work includes investing £104 billion to upgrade water infrastructure and building nine new reservoirs across the country to increase water supply. It also includes changing planning rules to make reservoirs easier to build.
Frequently asked questions
Where has severe drought been declared in England?
The Government has declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex.
Will water supplies be interrupted during the severe drought?
The Government said customer water supplies will be uninterrupted. It said the declaration ensures proactive steps are taken to safeguard water before any disruption occurs.
What must water companies do under the severe drought declaration?
Ministers are instructing water companies to carry out daily monitoring of reservoir and river levels and tougher water quality monitoring. The Environment Agency has been told to prioritise public supplies, which allows companies to keep more water in depleted reservoirs.
Why has severe drought been declared?
The South East and South West have experienced their driest April to September in over a century, which has affected reservoir levels in those areas.
Who sits on the National Drought Group?
The group includes the Met Office, Government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union, the Canal & River Trust, anglers, hydrologists and conservation experts.
