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Water companies and the government are preparing emergency plans as England faces it worst drought in decades.

The Guardian reports executives of a major water company predict extreme water use curtailment measures “going beyond hosepipe bans” will now be much more likely given the Met Office’s long-term forecasts of lower than average rainfall.

The Met Office’s chief meteorologist, Dr Will Lang, confirmed “this year has been characterised by notable rainfall deficits across much of England. By 28 October, provisional data shows England had only 61% of its expected annual rainfall, when we’d normally have about 80% at this time of the year (based on 1991–2020 average).”

Last month, the National Drought Group warned that the country must prepare for an ongoing drought unless there is “significant rain”. Months of dry weather have depleted the country’s existing water storages, despite roughly average rainfall in September and October, meaning some areas of the country are facing reservoir storages of less than 30 per cent. The situation in England remains fragile as groundwater takes significantly longer than reservoirs to recharge and dry spells are expected to continue into 2026.

Is building new reservoirs the answer?

Water minister Emma Hardy says the government is “closely monitoring all regions, particularly those still experiencing drought, and working with the National Drought Group and water companies to maintain supplies.” Minister Hardy says the government’s key approach rests on the development of nine new reservoirs to help secure long-term water resilience.

While England has not built any new major reservoirs for over thirty years, experts have told news outlets the impending crisis will requires more than long-term measures. They say immediate changes including nature-based solutions, more efficient water usage by consumers, and effective water resilience planning, can and should be delivered more quickly.