Overview
- After an exceptionally dry 2025 — about 83% of average rainfall, the driest spring in 132 years and the hottest summer — water reserves remain precarious.
- The Environment Agency outlines three winter-recharge scenarios in which average rainfall would see most areas recover by March 2026, except parts of Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.
- With only 80% of typical winter rainfall, most regions would be in drought or prolonged dry conditions by March, largely sparing parts of the North West; at 60%, nationwide drought is expected with likely hosepipe bans and pressure on farming and habitats.
- Sections of England, including Yorkshire and the Midlands, remain in official drought, and Yorkshire Water continues to enforce a hosepipe ban.
- Authorities urge households to conserve water, press water companies to reduce leakage and engage customers, and point to government investment in nine new reservoirs and upgraded pipes to boost resilience.