Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle visited Havant Thicket reservoir in Hampshire last Thursday, overseeing the latest steps to deliver a water-resilient future, as the National Drought Group reported continued low rainfall in August.

England is currently experiencing its third drought in five years, with over 30 million people currently under water restrictions. The National Drought Group met yesterday, chaired by Minister Hardy.

The chairing of the group alternates between Environment Agency officials and Defra ministers. The meeting is held weekly to coordinate the national response, including monitoring reservoir levels, agreeing drought actions with water companies, and supporting affected farmers.

Environment Secretary, Dame Angela Eagle, said:

“The water industry hasn’t been working in the public interest for far too long. It has failed consumers, and left the country exposed as our climate changes and extreme weather becomes more frequent.

“That’s why we’re fixing the system so families aren’t left footing the bill for decades of underinvestment.

We’re not waiting for the next drought before we act. We’re building a water system fit for the future, starting now.”

Director of Water at the Environment Agency, Helen Wakeham, said:

“A few days of recent rain does not make up for an exceptionally dry summer, and we have a very long way to go before the drought is considered over. Groundwater levels and reservoir storage continue to decline and will take many months to recover from this summer’s record heat and dry conditions.

“We heard this week about the impacts of drought on our environment now, but we will be seeing the effects on bird populations, fish stocks, and wider ecosystems for years to come.

“In the long-term, new infrastructure such as reservoirs will help but we also need measures to reduce demand, cut leakage, and support nature to make our rivers more resilient.

“As we enter Autumn, we are still asking for everyone’s help in using a little less water. Every drop we save speeds up drought recovery and means more water for farmers, the environment, and our wildlife.”

Bob Taylor, CEO of Portsmouth Water, said:

“New, sustainable sources of water are essential for building resilience to drought, particularly here in the severely water-stressed South East. That’s why we’re proud to be building Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first new major reservoir to be built in the UK for more than 30 years. The reservoir will play a vital role in protecting two of Hampshire’s precious chalk rivers.

“We were delighted to show the Secretary of State the excellent progress we have made on site since the big build phase of construction started last Spring.

Britain’s climate is changing - without action, England faces a shortfall of 5 billion litres of water a day by 2055, a third more than the country currently uses for public supply.

Havant Thicket is one of nine new reservoirs planned to secure supplies for the long term and reduce the risk of future restrictions. Once complete, it will provide an additional 21 million litres of water a day. Together, Havant Thicket, the pipeline of nine new reservoirs and water transfer schemes is expected to add around 700 million litres of water a day by 2050 – essential to manage the risks of climate change and future extreme weather.

71.3% of England is currently in drought; over 30 million people are under water use restrictions. There have been no drought status changes this week.

July 2026 was the driest July in 190 years; Summer 2026 has been declared England’s hottest on record.

Reservoir storage is 58% – a fall of 1.8% in the last week and 19.2% below the long-term average for this time of year.