Government warned of water shortage ahead
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Government's Environment Agency warned yesterday that low groundwater levels could lead to hosepipe bans and other restrictions on water use in parts of south-east England and East Anglia this summer. In a drought briefing for the Department of the Environment, the agency said water tables in several areas which depend on boreholes for their supply were still depressed, to record levels in some, after a low rainfall period which started in April1995.
The shortfall over the two-year period amounts to four months of missed rain. While February brought a welcome deluge with well above average rainfall, March so far has had significantly below the average.
The agency has asked water companies to submit detailed plans on how they intend to manage supplies. Few companies have so far applied to take extra water above their licensed level from rivers and groundwater in the summer but several have already been granted permission to take extra river water in the winter, using it to refill reservoirs.
Groundwater levels are drawn down more slowly than reservoirs' during dry periods but they also take longer to recover. Underground aquifers of porous rock provide more than two-thirds of tapwater in southern England, almost half the water for East Anglia and more than a third of the Thames valley area's supply. Nicholas Schoon
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments