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The Government has been urged to implement urgent new measures to prevent taps running dry in parts of the UK, as Britain heads towards potential drought conditions.
The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee warn in a report published on Thursday that climate change, widespread water leakages, population growth and the rapid growth of water intensive industries like data centres and nuclear power stations are all putting increasingly unsustainable pressure on water supplies.
The peers say England is not short of rain but the distribution of the rain is wildly uneven – with heavy rain in the North of England and the far west of the country in Cornwall and Somerset and big shortages of rain in the east of England and the South East of the country. The result is both flooding in some areas and acute shortages in other areas.
Baroness Sheehan, Liberal Democrat chair of the Committee said:
“Climate change is increasing the risk of drought through a combination of hotter summers and heavier winter rains making the capture and storage of rainwater increasingly important.
“The experience of the 2025 drought sent a warning signal to the water and drought management system. We have already had a dry start to this spring, so it is critical that action is taken now to prepare for serious drought conditions, particularly as we enter a reported El Niño year.
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“We heard during our inquiry that if action is not taken now, public water demand could exceed supply by five billion litres every day (equivalent to 2000 Olympic swimming pools) by 2055. As a result, serious thought, planning and investment must go into managing the environmental and economic threats that drought poses to England.
“Water is the foundation of life itself. the Government must act now to secure England’s most vital resource for the future and work with the public to ensure the taps don’t run dry.”
Some 16 water companies are classified as having serious water stress – all are in the South East or East of England. One area in South Essex has only had 5% of the rain needed this spring.
The peers recommend a series of practical measures that need to be taken this autumn including putting water companies on planned development bodies, making it easier to construct reservoirs, improve abstraction of water and encourage water efficiency in homes.
Evidence from environmental bodies to peers suggest that more drastic action may be needed to combat climate change which could change the face of gardens.
The Cambridge University Botanic Garden, which says is one of the driest areas in the country, is already reporting the loss of species due to drought.
Sally Petitt, Head of Horticulture wrote to peers: “Tree canopies are thinning as a result of drought stress, and we have lost a number of species, including mature specimens of Pinus wallichiana (Bhutan pine) due to drought, it is impossible to water mature trees to mitigate the impacts of drought conditions….. Our horticultural heritage is at risk from increased risk of drought. Key historic features of our gardens may no longer be viable in some areas of the country, and lawns, rose gardens and herbaceous borders could become a thing of the past, replaced with climate resilient species which will thrive in our gardens, public spaces and man-made landscapes.”
A representative from Kew Gardens added: “Increased drought poses significant risks across England, particularly for trees in both urban and rural environments. Many native tree species, as well as a large proportion of commonly traded nursery stock, are poorly adapted to prolonged dry conditions. This vulnerability is likely to be most pronounced in the south, southeast, and east of the UK, where future drought intensity is expected to be greatest.
“In urban areas, drought stress can lead to reduced canopy cover, declining tree health, and higher tree mortality, increasing heat-island effects and reducing the ecosystem services that cities rely on such as cooling, shading, and improved air quality. Rural landscapes face similar challenges: drought may reduce woodland resilience, hinder natural regeneration, and weaken habitats that depend on stable soil moisture conditions.”
A DEFRA spokesperson said in response to the report: “This Government will not allow taps to run dry. We face growing pressures on our water supplies in England, increasing drought due to climate change, and water companies must go further and faster to fix leaks, but this Government is taking decisive action with over £104 billion of private investment secured for our water system, we’re building 9 new reservoirs and we’re working closely with the Environment Agency to ensure water companies learn lessons from last year’s drought so customers’ water supply continues in even the driest of weather.”
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