The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is warning that summer 2026 exposed severe weaknesses in the UK’s preparedness and response to wildfires – the MPs are calling on the government to act now before Spring 2027.

Emma Hardy MP, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister, has issued a Direction to the Environment Agency under the Environment Act 1995 to prioritise the protection of public water supply in drought-stricken areas.

The Government has declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The South East and South West have experienced their driest April to September in over a century, impacting reservoir levels in that area.

Reservoir storage levels currently stand at 92.8% - 0.6% above average and river flows normal or higher for England at this time of year, according to the latest dry weather and drought report from the Environment Agency.

Defra, the Environment Agency and Ofwat are calling on a number of water companies to take further action following the regulators’ assessment of the individual utilities’ Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) Annual Review 2025.

The Environment Agency is urging water companies to do more to safeguard water supplies and warning of a medium risk of drought this summer after the driest start to spring in 69 years.

The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) is calling for early action on drought as the government's National Drought Group meet today to discuss (and possibly implement) drought plans for the UK.

The Environment Agency has published its review of the revised draft regional and water resources management plans published by water companies in England.

Thames Water has published a series of design changes to its proposed Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) project following consultation feedback from over 2,000 people.

Southern Water has launched a public consultation on its new draft Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP).