Farmers face tougher water checks as 'severe drought' declared

Farmers across southern England face increased checks on water abstraction after the government declared 'severe drought' in parts of six counties, prompting calls from the NFU for greater investment in on-farm water storage.

Parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex have been affected, following the driest April to September period in more than a century across the South East and South West.

The prolonged dry conditions have depleted reservoir levels, forcing ministers to introduce additional measures to protect public water supplies.

Under the plans, the Environment Agency will increase compliance checks on businesses abstracting water from natural sources to ensure withdrawals remain within permitted limits.

The measures are particularly relevant to agricultural businesses that depend on water abstraction for irrigation and other farming operations.

Responding to the announcement, NFU Deputy President Paul Tompkins warned of the mounting challenges extreme weather poses to British agriculture and food production.

"British farmers and growers know all too well the impact extreme weather is having on their businesses and ability to produce the nation’s food."

He said the severe drought declaration reflected the difficult conditions facing the sector, adding that the union would seek clarity on how the measures could affect agricultural businesses.

"We will continue to work to understand what any measures introduced will mean for agricultural businesses and advocate for increased access for water when it is available to refill reservoirs."

Tompkins also called for stronger government support to help farmers invest in infrastructure capable of managing increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.

"To safeguard domestic food production, we must strengthen our resilience to an increasingly volatile climate. The government can act now through the Budget by expanding tax reliefs to include on-farm infrastructure such as reservoirs."

The NFU is also seeking greater clarity on Water Management Grants to support the construction of farm reservoirs, alongside the removal of unnecessary planning barriers.

Tompkins said these changes would help more agricultural businesses invest in essential infrastructure to maintain domestic food production.

"Together, these measures would enable more farm businesses to invest in the vital infrastructure needed to produce food for 29 million households."

Meanwhile, water companies have been instructed to monitor river and reservoir levels daily and carry out tougher water quality checks.

Water Minister Emma Hardy has also directed the Environment Agency to prioritise public water supplies where unavoidable conflicts arise between environmental regulations and water availability.

This could allow water companies to retain more water in depleted reservoirs, although the government maintains that customer supplies will remain uninterrupted.

Local Resilience Forums have also been stood up to coordinate support should drought conditions worsen.

Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said the severity of the situation required additional action.

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

The announcement on Thursday (15 October) followed the latest meeting of the National Drought Group, which has been coordinating the response to exceptionally dry weather since August.

The group includes representatives from the NFU, Met Office, water companies, regulators and conservation organisations.

Members have renewed calls for careful water use to help protect supplies and reduce pressure on the environment.

Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy warned that record-breaking summer temperatures had placed significant strain on water resources.

"Record-breaking summer heat and severe drought have put our water resources under immense pressure."

He stressed that recovery would depend on both rainfall and water consumption, urging water companies to follow their drought plans.

"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."

The government said the immediate measures form part of wider efforts to strengthen water resilience following decades of underinvestment.

Its long-term plans include £104 billion of investment in water infrastructure, the construction of nine major reservoirs and planning reforms intended to make reservoir development easier.

While no new agricultural irrigation restrictions were announced, the increased compliance checks place renewed attention on water abstraction in drought-affected areas.