England declares drought across seven regions

On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, the Environment Agency officially declared a drought across seven regions of England, including London, the Thames Valley, and the West Midlands. This decision follows a period of extreme heat and minimal rainfall; July has seen only 7% of expected precipitation, with parts of southern England receiving as little as 1%. Consequently, 78% of the country’s rivers are currently below normal levels, and total reservoir capacity has dropped to 75.3%.

Approximately 23 million customers are now subject to water-use restrictions, including hosepipe bans. Officials, led by Helen Wakeham of the Environment Agency, described the event as a “flash drought” caused by the rapid depletion of moisture in soils and vegetation. This marks the third major drought in England in the past five years, following similar incidents in 2022 and 2025. Compounding the environmental stress, the Met Office confirmed a record-breaking June temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.

Despite a wet start to the year in January and February, the lack of late spring and summer rainfall failed to replenish groundwater reserves adequately. Experts warn that the ongoing dry spell continues to heighten the risk of wildfires and affects agricultural harvests, with authorities closely monitoring water supplies.