Most parts of the UK have seen significant rainfall over the last few days, but the drought is not over.
Latest news includes
- Hosepipe bans in Yorkshire Water (from 26 Aug) and potentially Thames Water
- Environment Secretary meeting with water companies
- Sir John Armitt, chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, calling for greater investment in water networks, including new resources, leakage reductions and demand management
- Confirmation from the Environment Agency that most of England is officially in drought
- A drought order application approved in Yorkshire, meaning the Environment Agency can ask Yorkshire Water to slow the flow of water leaving a reservoir to manage habitats and river flows to protect wildlife
- Additional ‘hands off flow’ conditions applied to abstraction licences in many areas
- Criticism of the industry by farmers, angling groups and even Tory MPs, with even former ministers calling for bonuses to be withheld
- Farmers criticising Tory leadership hopefuls and calling for hosepipe bans
- Pollution alerts at some bathing waters reminding people not to swim after heavy rain