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We must save water as drought becomes new normal, says minister

On Friday, Water Minister Emma Hardy told the House of Commons the government had been preparing for drought since she took office, describing the crisis as a level "not seen for decades" pressuring water supplies.
At Wimbleball Reservoir in Somerset, water levels are just 16% full, far below the 75% level the Environment Agency would normally expect, affecting around 300,000 South West Water and Wessex Water customers.
Hardy allocated £15 million for on-farm reservoirs while authorities ordered daily monitoring of reservoir and river levels; the Environment Agency will increase checks on business water abstraction to protect public supplies.
Shadow environment minister Robbie Moore accused the government of failing to prepare, stating, "Our communities, our farmers, our businesses are facing severe challenges today." Moore criticized the initial lack of agricultural focus.
Defra and Cobra tested drought response arrangements in February, with Hardy defending government preparedness as parts of Dorset, Cornwall, and Devon experienced their driest April-to-September period in more than a century.

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Minister defends drought planning as Dorset faces severe water shortages

The government has defended its preparations for drought after MPs accused ministers of being slow to react to severe water shortages affecting Dorset and other parts of the country.

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