Whilst spring rainfall has been a welcome relief for most of the country, experts caution that ongoing action will remain vital for securing our water supply into the future.

At last week’s meeting of the National Drought Group (Wednesday 24 May), chaired by Environment Agency Chief Executive John Curtin, the group discussed how the government, regulators and water companies can work together to better prepare for the continual shocks and erratic weather patterns caused by a changing climate.

Two Environment Agency areas remain in drought – parts of East Anglia, as well as Devon and Cornwall. Both areas are beginning to improve following above average rainfall throughout April.

The Environment Agency is advising water companies to get their drought preparedness plans in order now, as another hot, dry spell could see drought conditions return.

England is experiencing more extreme weather more often, with parts of the country experiencing drought and flooding at the same time. Earlier this year, we also saw the driest February in 30 years followed by the wettest March in 40 years, which demonstrates how we cannot rely on weather alone to secure sufficient water resources.