The Environment Agency has confirmed that seven parts of England are now officially experiencing drought conditions following an exceptionally hot and dry summer period. Data indicates that rainfall in July reached only 7% of typical levels, with southern England seeing as little as 1% of the expected amount.
Affected regions include East Anglia, the West Midlands, and Wessex, which covers Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire. The declarations also extend to Hertfordshire, London, the Thames Valley, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, and the Devon and Cornwall area.
Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency’s director of water and leader of the National Drought Group, explained that current consumption rates are outpacing the natural replenishment of water supplies due to the sustained high temperatures and lack of precipitation.
