Following Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s claim that Britain’s way of life is “under threat” from climate change, local planning authorities (LPAs) are being urged to mandate rainwater harvesting across all new infrastructure projects, from residential developments to high-rise commercial buildings.

Thames Water will implement a Temporary Use Ban - known as a hosepipe ban hosepipe ban - for the Thames Valley region which includes areas with a postcode starting with OX, GL, SN and RG4, RG8 and RG9 stasrting from next week.

The Met Office is warning that its annual climate stocktake shows weather records and extremes now the norm in the UK.

South East Water has today announced temporary hosepipe restrictions for Kent and Sussex customers - record-breaking demand for drinking water has put significant pressure on drinking water supplies, as the region grapples with a prolonged dry period and an approaching third heatwave of the summer.

Yorkshire Water has announced that a hosepipe ban will start on 11 July this week -.the Environment Agency officially declared a drought in Yorkshire in June and forecasters are predicting a warm summer ahead.

Continued dry and warm weather over the last week and England’s warmest June on record has seen reservoir stocks continue to decline across Yorkshire.

Despite rain and thunderstorms in the last few days, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are warning against complacency - Scotland's rivers are still under stress.

The Environment Agency has published its drought plan guideline 2025 for water companies that are wholly or mainly in England - the companies are required to follow the guideline when preparing their drought plans. The drought plan guideline was last published in 2020. 

Thames Water has today launched a major 10- week statutory public consultation on its proposed Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) project - the nationally significant infrastructure project aim is to provide a safe, secure and sustainable water supply for millions of Londoners during drought, supported by water recycling.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are warning that despite rain in most of the country, current river flow monitoring shows sustained local pressure in northern catchments - with one area now at Significant Water Scarcity.