Farmers continue to face pressure from prolonged dry conditions as reservoir and groundwater levels remain low
Farmers are being warned that England’s drought could take months to ease, as falling reservoir and groundwater levels keep pressure on water supplies.
More than 30 million people remain under water restrictions, while the government says ÂŁ65 million has been provided to farmers affected by the prolonged dry conditions.
Defra Secretary Dame Angela Eagle visited the Havant Thicket reservoir project in Hampshire on 3 September as ministers highlighted plans for new water infrastructure aimed at protecting supplies from increasingly frequent droughts.
England is experiencing its third drought in five years, following droughts in 2022 and 2025. July was the driest July in 190 years, while summer 2026 has been declared England’s hottest on record.
The south east was particularly badly affected, receiving just 3% of average rainfall in July and 54% in August. Reservoir storage now stands at 58%, which is 19.2% below the long-term average for this time of year.
The Environment Agency warned that recent rainfall has not been enough to reverse the wider drought picture and that groundwater and reservoir levels could take months to recover.
Helen Wakeham, director of water at the Environment Agency, said: “A few days of recent rain does not make up for an exceptionally dry summer, and we have a very long way to go before the drought is considered over.”
She added: “Groundwater levels and reservoir storage continue to decline and will take many months to recover from this summer’s record heat and dry conditions.”
The National Drought Group is meeting weekly to coordinate the response, including monitoring reservoir levels, agreeing drought measures with water companies and supporting affected farmers. Officials said sustained rainfall will be needed to replenish dry soils before groundwater recharge can properly begin.
Recent heavy rain has also caused some surface water flooding as water has struggled to soak into hard, dry ground.
Longer-term attention is now turning to new infrastructure, including Havant Thicket, which is expected to provide an additional 21 million litres of water a day once complete. The reservoir is being built by Portsmouth Water and is described as the first new major reservoir in the UK for more than 30 years.
Bob Taylor, chief executive of Portsmouth Water, said: “New, sustainable sources of water are essential for building resilience to drought, particularly here in the severely water-stressed South East.”
The government is also backing a wider pipeline of nine new reservoirs and water transfer schemes. Together, these projects are expected to add around 700 million litres of water a day by 2050, helping to improve resilience to future dry periods and extreme weather.
Without further action, England could face a shortfall of five billion litres of water a day by 2055, according to government estimates.
Ministers are also pressing water companies to reduce leakage by 17% over the next five years, alongside wider measures to improve water efficiency and infrastructure.
Dame Angela Eagle said: “We’re not waiting for the next drought before we act. We’re building a water system fit for the future, starting now.”
The Environment Agency said new reservoirs would form only part of the response, with demand reduction, leakage cuts and measures to protect rivers also required.
Ms Wakeham said: “In the long-term, new infrastructure such as reservoirs will help but we also need measures to reduce demand, cut leakage, and support nature to make our rivers more resilient.”
She urged households and businesses to continue reducing water use as the country moves into autumn. “Every drop we save speeds up drought recovery and means more water for farmers, the environment, and our wildlife,” she said.