People across the UK have been urged to use water wisely to protect water supplies and the environment during the current period of prolonged dry weather.
The Environment Agency HAS convened the National Drought Group, made up of senior decision makers from Environment Agency, government, water companies, Water UK, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and environmental protection groups including the Angling Trust and Rivers Trust.
The group discussed the current situation and agreed actions to protect water resources and the environment in the UK in the weeks ahead.
Following a meeting on the national water supplies, the National Drought Group’s members agreed to continue to work closely together to monitor and manage the current situation, including convening the National Drought Group’s water supply and communications sub-groups.
Harvey Bradshaw, Environment Agency executive director for the environment and chair of the NDG, said:
“While last week’s extreme high temperatures are now behind us and there are currently no plans for restrictions on essential water use, we can all do our bit by reducing unnecessary water consumption and following advice from our water company to ensure this remains the case whilst our rivers are exceptionally low.”
Bradshaw said that the Environment Agency is working very closely with water companies, farmers and other water users to manage the current situation.
“This was an important step in agreeing joint actions to protect our water resources with further dry weather forecasted for August, including ever-closer working to monitor and manage water supplies and the environment.
“Environment Agency teams are doing brilliant work across the country monitoring river levels and responding to environmental incidents, as well as enacting the early stages of our drought plans in many parts of England to protect people’s access to water and preserve the environment.”
