Latest science used to tackle drought as rainfall drives recovery

England's drought-hit areas are beginning to recover following the recent wet weather, the National Drought Group heard today.  

November saw 149% of the long-term average rainfall, which helped kick-start drought recovery but also brought flooding to many parts of the country.  

As several areas announced a change in drought status, the expert group also heard how the latest science is being used to better protect England against future water shortages.  

This comes as the Environment Agency is working with The Alan Turing Institute, looking at how the latest river flow modelling could be used to pinpoint how much water we have and identify the early signs of drought. 

National Drought Group chair and Director of Water at the Environment Agency, Helen Wakeham, said:

The recent rain has helped some of our depleted rivers and reservoirs, but we are not out of the woods yet.   

The spring was exceptionally dry and the summer very hot. Therefore, I would urge people to carry on using water as efficiently as possible – particularly while our environment recovers from the impacts of the recent drought.  

We are using the latest science to understand drought and to help us prepare for what still could be a difficult 2026. In the meantime, we expect water companies to carry on quickly fixing burst pipes and leaks throughout the winter, and to continue to follow their drought plans.

The meeting heard:  

• There were geographical differences in November rainfall. The East Midlands saw 218% of rain (the wettest since 1871) and the West Midlands 185% (the wettest since 1970).  

• This rainfall means that after 21 weeks in drought, the East and West Midlands have now moved out of drought status and into recovery.  

• Yorkshire, which declared drought in June, is showing good signs of recovery and officials will decide on moving status later this week.  

• The North West, which was the first to declare drought status in May, is now out of the recovery stage and back to normal.  

• The North East has moved from prolonged dry weather to drought recovery.  

• The parts of Sussex served by South East Water remain in drought.  

• All areas are keeping their status under review, and more changes can be expected in the coming weeks.  

• Public water supply reservoir levels are now 79.8% full, only slightly below the 81.9% expected for this time of year.    

The Environment Agency's Chief Scientist, Robert Bradburne, detailed at the meeting how cutting-edge technology can help build resilience to extreme weather.  

The latest modelling tools alongside insights on customer use are helping us forensically examine our water system – from source to tap.  

This contributes to our understanding of how much water can be safely taken out of the environment, plus the types of infrastructure projects that might be needed in future.  

Work being carried out by the Environment Agency is also being complemented by that of water companies, who are developing their own methods to use water more efficiently – such as using AI to detect leaks.  

At the meeting today, all attendees agreed to work more closely together to pool research, innovation, and data-driven insights.   

Environment Agency Chief Scientist and Director of the Chief Scientist's Group, Dr Robert Bradburne, said:

Droughts are becoming more complex to analyse as the climate and society's demand for water changes. Today we took an important step in tackling this complexity head-on.    

This agreement to work more closely with water companies on advanced tools, such as AI, will greatly enhance our scientific capabilities.   

This will lead to better forecasts and more decisive and well-evidenced responses to drought. 

Drought is only over when river, groundwater and reservoir levels are back to normal. The recovery phase means water levels are returning to normal - but water companies must maintain efficiency measures until resources are back to average levels for the time of year. 

Recovery can be fragile, and it means it is possible to have flooding and drought simultaneously.  

The Environment Agency recently released a Drought Prospects reportlooking at the likelihood of drought next year, using industry and environmental data up to the end of September.  

The wetter conditions since then have improved the situation but there still needs to be typical rainfall until the end of March to avoid drought in some areas next year.  

The National Drought Group - which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers' Union, Canal & River Trust, anglers, and conservation experts – reiterated all sectors need to act now to be prepared if the rain does not come.    

• Water companies must make sure their assets, such as pipes, pumps and reservoirs, are working well and, where necessary, submit any applications for drought permits early to maximise water storage.     

• Around 19% of water is lost to leaks. Water companies must continue to quickly drive that down to meet the commitment to halve the amount lost by 2050.     

• Farmers should check that their abstraction licences cover their water needs and apply to make changes if necessary. They should speak to the EA early if they are likely to need flexibility.     

• Farmers should start saving winter rainwater now, looking at more reservoir storage and planning to share water with neighbours, where possible.    

• Advice to farmers on abstracting floodwater outside of licence conditions during flood events can be found here.  

• The Government will continue to progress mandatory water efficiency labelling in white goods, such as washing machines.     

• Government proposals to improve the water efficiency standards in new buildings are also out for consultation, which ends on December 16th.       

• The public should continue to use water wisely, including turning off taps when not in use or fitting a water butt in the garden to capture winter rainfall.     

• Household appliances can also become more water efficient, such as using a low-flow shower head, dual toilet flush or cistern displacement device.     

Water Minister Emma Hardy said:

This year's drought has been a challenge and, while I welcome the improving picture, we cannot be complacent because climate change will bring more droughts and floods in future.    

Today we heard about some exciting scientific research, and I urge the group to keep working together and keep sharing innovation.  

Water companies must work to build resilience over the winter, so we are prepared for a dry 2026. In the longer-term, we are taking decisive action to secure supplies, including nine new reservoirs and new pipes to reduce leakage.    

The spring of 2025 was the driest in 132 years. And with four heatwaves, the Met Office declared the summer of 2025 as the hottest since records began in 1884.  

Eight out of the 11 months this year have seen below average rainfall.  

Head of Environment and Energy at the Met Office, Sarah Davies, said:

While this autumn was notably wet for much of England, with rainfall totals above average in many areas, it's important to remember that a single wet season does not necessarily ‘correct' the impacts of two preceding dry seasons.   

The contrast between this autumn's unsettled, rainy weather and the prolonged dry conditions seen by many in spring and summer has been particularly marked. England's rainfall total for autumn 2025 was easily more than double the spring and summer total combined.   

Looking ahead, the chances of a dry or a wet winter are close to normal, though regional variations are likely. Sustained rainfall through the winter will be needed in some areas to support full recovery from drought, and we continue to monitor conditions closely as the season progresses.  

Over the winter, members of the National Drought Group will continue to work together to improve its response to future droughts and future resilience. This will build on the EA's largest ever review of drought science     

Water company actions:

• Thames Water has installed over 40,000 acoustic loggers onto the water network to help detect leaks.   

• Thames Water is replacing over 500km of water mains over the next five years to reduce leakage and is fixing 650 leaks per week.   

• Affinity Water has partnered with Watford FC and installed water saving devices which have contributed to saving up to 70,000 litres on match days.   

• Affinity Water's water efficiency service is aiming to cut business water usage by 11% across its region through practical measures and customer guidance.

• Anglian Water has rolled out 1.3million smart meters, meaning nearly 60% of customers are now connected.

• Anglian Water's smart meters have reduced the amount of water the water company puts into supply by more than 18 million litres per day - the equivalent of seven Olympic sized swimming pools.

• Wessex Water's Target 20 social media campaign saw more than 15,000 customers pledge to save at least 20 litres of water per day for a chance to win prizes, including a water-efficient washing machine.

• On average, Wessex Water has been repairing over 300 leaks per week, an increase of more than 40% since May.

• South West Water has provided over 22,000 free water-saving devices to customers since April.

• In October, Bristol Water gave 1,750 free water butts to customers through a free promotion aimed supporting customers with using water wisely.

NOTES TO EDITORS:     

LONG-TERM AVERAGE RAINFALL STATISTICS FOR 2025 SO FAR:      

WINTER WATER SAVING TIPS:          

• Opt for a low-flow shower head: These use around 6 litres per minute, compared to a standard shower head, which uses 10-15 litres per minute. Over a 10-minute shower, that's a saving of up to 90 litres of water.         

• If you don't have a dual flush, get a Cistern Displacement Device (CDD) from your water company: This simple tool can reduce each toilet flush by at least 1 litre and is often available for free from water companies. Find out more on your water company's website         

• In the kitchen avoid pre-rinsing dishes – scrape them instead, as modern detergents are designed to work effectively without extra rinsing and use a washing-up bowl to catch excess water -this can reduce wastage by up to 50%         

• Fill your washing machine to its recommended load size for the most efficient use of water.         

• Know your house plants and how much water they really need during cooler winter months – try not to over water.         

• Install a rain butt to collect rainwater to use in the garden.          

• Turn off the taps when brushing teeth or shaving.          

• Take shorter showers.            

• Fix a leaking toilet – leaky loos can waste 200-400 litres a day.