A severe drought has been declared across parts of southern England following months of low rainfall and record-breaking summer heat, the Environment Agency announced Wednesday.
The affected areas include parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The declaration came after a meeting of the National Drought Group, which reviewed water resources and drought conditions across England.
The South East and South West have experienced their driest April to September period in more than a century, officials said. Water supplies have been significantly impacted by high demand following the hottest summer on record.
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle and Environment Agency chief Philip Duffy urged the public to use less water to help preserve falling supplies. The government said customer water supplies would remain uninterrupted, adding that declaring a severe drought "ensures proactive steps are taken to safeguard water before any disruption occurs."
Water companies have been instructed to activate drought plans and conduct daily monitoring of reservoirs. The plans may result in further non-essential water restrictions, such as hosepipe bans. Ministers have directed water companies to step up drought planning amid efforts to protect public water supplies in the affected areas.
The critical conditions follow England's driest start to the year since 1976, putting immense pressure on public water supplies and agriculture. Water levels have fallen at reservoirs including Wimbleball on Exmoor.