England Drought Worsens in 2026 as Nearly Three-Quarters of Areas Affected

The UK Environment Agency and other departments issued a notice on August 10, 2026, stating that persistent low rainfall since August had worsened drought conditions in England, with nearly three-quarters of the region now in drought, affecting about 45 million people and leaving more than 27 million with water restrictions. The notice said that the National Drought Group, a coordination body established by the UK government to address drought, met that day and warned that water resources across all of England are under pressure, with increasing impacts on agriculture, public water supply, shipping, and the environment.

In July, reservoir storage in England fell by 16%, the largest July decline in at least 30 years. Currently, only 14% of river flows are at normal levels, while 22% are at 'abnormally low' levels. Eight water companies have implemented temporary water-use restrictions in all or part of their service areas.