UK government advises deleting emails to save water

Summary

The National Drought Group met today (Monday 11 August) with the current water shortfall situation in England now defined as a “nationally significant incident.” Five areas are officially in drought, with six more experiencing prolonged dry weather following the driest six months to July since 1976. Despite the unsettled weather last month, many river flows and reservoir levels in England continued to recede compared to June. Rainstorms and showers helped mask the fact that July was still the fifth warmest on record. August has started to see a return of drier conditions and the fourth heatwave of the summer - putting more pressure on already struggling public water supplies and navigational waterways. The National Drought Group - which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union, Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts – used the meeting to highlight the water-saving measures each sector is taking. They also praised the public for reducing their own daily usage, with Yorkshire Water reporting a 10% reduction in domestic demand following their hosepipe ban. This equates to saving up to 80 million litres per day – equivalent to 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The less water that is used, the less needs to be abstracted from local rivers – therefore protecting the health of our waterways and wildlife. The Environment Agency’s Director of Water and NDG chair, Helen Wakeham said: The current situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment. Water companies must continue to quickly fix leaks and lead the way in saving water. We know the challenges farmers are facing and will continue to work with them, other land users, and businesses to ensure everyone acts sustainably. We are grateful to the public for following the restrictions, where in place, to conserve water in these dry conditions. Simple, everyday choices –...