Severe drought declared in parts of southern England as reservoirs run low

The declaration

The Environment Agency declared severe drought on Thursday, 15 October 2026, in parts of six areas: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The move followed a meeting of the National Drought Group, which reviewed water resources and drought conditions across England. Severe drought is the top stage on the agency's scale, used when evidence shows dry weather is causing, or is likely to cause, serious harm that calls for urgent action. Bloomberg reported that it is the first severe drought declared in parts of England since 1995. The declaration does not automatically bring new restrictions or amount to a civil emergency, but it sets off a coordinated response from government, water companies and other organisations.

A dry summer and low reservoirs

Officials said the South East and South West recorded their driest spell from April to September in more than a century. The BBC's latest figures put Wimbleball on Exmoor at 14.9% and Ardingly in West Sussex at 19.4%, while the Guardian and the Evening Standard gave 16% and 19% for the same two reservoirs. The Environment Agency would expect storage of about 75% at this time of year. Roadford in Devon stood at 36.8%, Burrator at 33.6%, Colliford in Cornwall at 35% and Stithians at 21.9%, according to the BBC. The agency has classed Colliford and Wimbleball as having exceptionally low levels. Wimbleball serves about 300,000 properties across east Devon, north Devon, Somerset and west Dorset. The BBC gives Ardingly's customer count as 280,000, while the Guardian puts it at about 95,000 properties around Haywards Heath and Uckfield.

Government measures and the quote

The government said customer supplies would be uninterrupted and that declaring severe drought would allow action before any disruption occurs. Water companies have been told to monitor reservoir and river levels daily and to tighten water quality checks. The Environment Agency will increase compliance checks on businesses that take water from natural sources, to confirm they take only permitted amounts. Water minister Emma Hardy instructed the agency to prioritise public water supplies in severe drought areas where protecting them conflicts with environmental rules. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle, speaking after the National Drought Group meeting, said:

This level of drought is something we have not experienced for decades, so this government is stepping up our support and planning.

Eagle also urged the public to think about how they use water wisely over the coming weeks.

Business bans await approval

South East Water, South West Water and Southern Water want to impose non-essential user bans on businesses to protect supplies. Those bans would affect golf clubs, private schools and commercial properties. Eagle has yet to approve requests from three water companies to extend restrictions to businesses, including golf clubs and commercial car washes, and she did not announce approval when she called for stronger drought planning. Water companies in the affected areas could still bring in extra measures of their own.

Wider drought across England

Yorkshire was declared in drought in the week of 5 October, following dwindling water levels in rivers and reservoirs. Only the North West and North East now sit outside drought conditions across England. In August, 71.3% of England was in drought.

Repeated heat across the summer drained reservoirs and rivers, exposing dry riverbeds and leaving fields and forests brown. Farmers reported poorer yields, and livestock farmers were forced to use winter feed because grass growth was low.