05 Aug 2026
Photo credit: Yihong Chen The US government has stepped in to break a long stalemate over the drought-stricken Colorado River, proposing cuts of up to 3 million acre-feet a year for the three lower basin states. The Interior Department’s preferred management framework, published on 31 July, would reduce the allocation of Arizona, California and […]
30 Jul 2026
Photo credit: SHTTEFAN on Unsplash England has enough available water to supply only 420,000 of the 1.5 million new homes the government has pledged this Parliament, according to analysis commissioned by the industry body Water UK. The research, carried out by the consultancy Public First, warns that some parts of the country have only a 2 […]
30 Jul 2026
Photo credit: Md. Hasanuzzaman Himel As drought spreads across half of England, the National Farmers’ Union has called for changes to abstraction rules and planning to protect food production. Low river flows have driven 1,506 restrictions on abstraction licences, and high irrigation demand is rapidly depleting farm reservoirs, leaving the union warning that growers […]
23 Jul 2026
Photo credit: Galina Kondratenko Thames Water’s Temporary Use Ban came into force at 00:01 on Thursday 23 July, taking the number of people affected by hosepipe restrictions across England and Wales to about 23 million, according to the Guardian. The ban applies across Thames Water’s entire drinking water supply area, covering roughly 10 million customers […]
18 Oct 2023
A major report on the UK’s infrastructure has been published by the National Infrastructure Commission. it covers energy, transport, water and waste, and says there are large gaps in investment and many areas in which the UK’s existing infrastructure is poorly maintained and inadequate. Overall, investment of about £30bn a year from the taxpayer and […]
12 Apr 2023
The Environment Agency has developed an operating framework for water supply reservoirs and flood risk management. This framework will: help decide which water supply reservoirs can provide flood risk management benefits enable consistent local decision making We have designed this framework to support engagement between the: Environment Agency water companies other partners, including local communities […]
30 Nov 2022
Plan now to avoid drought next summer, National Drought Group told The latest National Drought Group meeting reiterates expectation that water companies start planning now to manage potentially significant impacts next year. Water companies must start planning now to avoid potentially significant water supply and environmental impacts next summer, National Drought Group members were told […]
