The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is urging farmers, industry and other water users in the east of Scotland to plan now for next year, warning that above-average rainfall is needed over the winter to rebuild depleted water resources and reduce the risk of significant water scarcity in 2026.

England’s drought-hit areas are beginning to recover following the recent wet weather, the National Drought Group heard yesterday.

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee will continue its inquiry into drought preparedness in England this week by exploring the role of water resource planning for drought resilience, including assessing the robustness of currents plans and modelling for future supply and demand.

The Environment Agency is warning that despite some progress made by the water companies in England in reducing leakage and managing water demand, both remain unacceptably high and exceed national forecasts.

The Environment Agency (EA) is warning that England will experience worse levels of drought next year if this winter is drier than normal.

Severn Trent is offering free mobile water bowsers to livestock farmers across Staffordshire and Derbyshire, as part of a new initiative to help manage water demand.

The National Drought Group is warning that England must prepare for an ongoing drought into and possibly throughout 2026 unless there is significant rain this autumn and winter.

Yorkshire Water is turning to maximising reservoir recovery - rainfall across the region has seen Yorkshire’s reservoir levels rise for the seventh consecutive week, with stocks now at 57.1%.

Scottish Water is warning over ongoing risks to Tayside water supplies from ongoing low reservoir levels – the water company is calling on customers in the Dundee and Tayside area to continue to save water in homes and gardens.

Yorkshire Water has reported that reservoirs in Yorkshire have seen the largest weekly rise in over 30 years.