Drought persists across 82% of England, Environment Agency says
South East Water’s Ardingly reservoir is 19% full. The Environment Agency says ending the drought requires rainfall 20% above average over the next six months.
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South East Water’s Ardingly reservoir is 19% full. The Environment Agency says ending the drought requires rainfall 20% above average over the next six months.
The Environment Agency says 82% of England remains in drought despite short-term relief from Storms Austen and Boelo.
The UK experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026, with extreme heat and little rain leaving water reserves depleted. In October, severe drought was declared in parts of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. This is the highest drought level: it means serious harm is happening or imminent and emergency action is needed to protect people, water supplies, the environment or other critical services.
South East Water’s Ardingly reservoir serves about 95,000 properties in Haywards Heath, Uckfield and surrounding areas of Sussex, the Guardian said. The Environment Agency would expect reservoir storage to be about 75% at this time of year.
| Reservoir | Water company | Full |
|---|---|---|
| Ardingly | South East Water | 19% |
| Wimbleball | South West Water | 14.5% |
| Weir Wood | Southern Water | 80% |
Haywards Heath resident Caroline Allan said she could not remember Ardingly being so low and worried that local growth was not being matched by more water storage. Fellow resident Graham Ward said the infrastructure was no longer fit for purpose and feared recurring problems if hot summers continued. Delphine Hazeldone also said she had never seen the reservoir so low and worried about water security for her children and grandchildren.
Southern Water says it took Weir Wood’s treatment works out of supply in 2018 because they had reached the end of their operational life, with significant reliability and water-quality problems. It already supplies South East Water through an interconnected network, but operating the Weir Wood treatment works would not resolve Ardingly’s current situation.
The Environment Agency says ending the drought requires rainfall 20% above average over the next six months. Its chief executive, Philip Duffy, said in comments carried by the BBC that a few wet days cannot reverse months of hot, dry weather. Rivers, reservoirs and groundwater—the water stored underground—need sustained rainfall to recover.
The BBC forecasts predominantly dry weather as high pressure stays over or near the UK for at least ten days, blocking incoming weather systems. Some drizzle is possible, but rainfall amounts are expected to be negligible. Over a longer period, the Met Office’s three-month outlook gives double the chance of wetter-than-normal conditions.
Following the latest National Drought Group meeting, water companies are being urged to repair leaks faster. Households are being asked to take shorter showers and turn off taps while brushing their teeth. UK water minister Emma Hardy, who chaired the meeting, urged companies to take every available measure to secure current supplies and prepare for spring.
During the 2025 drought, South East Water proposed an emergency aboveground pipeline between Ardingly and Weir Wood, then shelved the plans when rain eased conditions. The company is now studying the feasibility of a buried pipeline linking the reservoirs. Southern Water aims to rebuild Weir Wood’s treatment works by 2030, saying the project is intended to strengthen North Sussex’s long-term water security amid climate change and population growth.
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