Severe drought declared in targeted areas of six English counties
The story at a glance
Severe drought status was declared on 15 October in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The Environment Agency says it applies to particular reservoir supply areas, not every part of the six counties.12
Officials said customer supplies would remain uninterrupted at the time of the announcement. Meanwhile, England’s latest monitoring recorded low reservoir storage and hundreds of environmental incidents linked to drought or dry weather.13
The story in brief
What you need to know
- The declaration is a targeted response to risks in water-supply areas around Ardingly and Wimbleball reservoirs, along with several smaller South West Water reservoirs. County names should not be read as meaning the whole of each county is covered.2
- Severe drought status does not automatically trigger restrictions. The government’s announcement instead described daily monitoring of reservoirs and rivers, increased water-quality monitoring and additional checks on businesses abstracting water.12
- In its report covering 25 September to 1 October, the Environment Agency put England’s reservoir storage at 55%; six reservoirs or reservoir groups were classed as exceptionally low. The figures describe conditions before the 15 October declaration.3
- The same monitoring report recorded 383 drought- or dry-weather-related environmental incidents since the start of 2026. These included 36 algae incidents and 91 incidents involving dead fish.3
- Temporary use bans already covered around 30 million people as of September, according to the House of Commons Library. Those bans pre-date the new declaration; proposed restrictions on businesses are a separate matter.524
Conservation context
Why this matters
The declaration highlights the challenge of managing scarce water while accounting for both public supply and environmental needs. Official monitoring has recorded drought-related incidents, while independent reporting describes pressure on rivers, habitats and wildlife.134
The developing story
What happens next
The Environment Agency says it is monitoring reservoirs and rivers, while the government has announced added water-quality checks and scrutiny of water abstractors. The next drought bulletin and reservoir measurements will help show how conditions have changed since the latest report period.13
Established evidence
What we know
- The declaration was made on 15 October and covers parts of six counties in southern and south-western England.12
- The Environment Agency described the South East and South West as having had their driest April–September period in over a century. It also said 82% of England remained in drought on 15 October.12
- At the time the declaration was announced, the government said customer water supplies would remain uninterrupted.1
Open questions
What we don't know
- The reporting does not specify exactly which water-company supply areas and households fall within the designation, or how those boundaries will be communicated.2
- It remains unclear whether proposed bans on non-essential business water use will be approved, or what further local restrictions or drought permits may follow.4
- The available reporting does not establish how decisions to prioritise public water supplies will affect river flows, habitats and wildlife in the affected catchments.34
- The research pack does not include reservoir measurements or a drought bulletin covering the period after 1 October.3
Source coverage
