Questions and answers about drought

Why does drought happen?

• Droughts occur naturally as a result of lack of rainfall.
• We know that climate change is likely to make droughts more frequent in the future.

What can be done to prepare for or prevent a drought?

• Droughts can't be prevented because they occur naturally due to a lack of rainfall. But we can strive to use the water resources available more efficiently so reducing the demand for water placed on the environment and so minimise the effects of drought.
• Along with water companies we prepare for droughts by producing Drought Plans detailing the actions that will be taken should a drought occur. These actions aim to manage water resources effectively, both for the environment and for public water supply, when they come under pressure by drought.
• Hot dry spells are a normal part of most summers and the Environment Agency, water companies and other water users such as farmers and industry do plan to cope with these without restricting water use.

What is the Environment Agency’s role?

• We are the statutory body that has a duty to manage water resources in England and Wales.  Our aim is to ensure that the management and future development of our water resources is carried out in a sustainable manner.  As part of this role we are a statutory consultee in the Water Resource Planning public consultation process.  We analyse each water company water resource management plan to ensure it protects the water environment while securing public water supplies.  
• We produce Drought Plans that detail how we will react during a drought to protect public water supplies and the environment.  Drought plans help the us make the right decisions at the right time during a drought situation.
• We're also responsible for monitoring the drought actions taken by water companies and other parties, and maintaining good lines of communication with these organisations during a drought. 
• We keep the water resource position under review and closely monitor and assess the impacts of the drought on the environment and public water supply across the affected area.
• We co-ordinate a communications and media strategy during a drought to ensure the correct messages are being communicated to the areas affected by the drought.  The Environment Agency also reports to the Secretary of State/Welsh Assembly Government on the drought.
• We grant drought permits and manage any drought order applications received from the water companies to abstract more water as a result of the drought.

What are water companies doing to protect our supplies?

• Water companies are required to produce Water Resource Management Plans to identify the volume of water needed to meet the forecast demand level over a 25 year period.  If the volumes of water currently available to the water company do not meet the predicted demand, taking into account natural variability of rainfall and demand, they implement demand management measures or bring on line a water resource scheme to restore the balance between supply and demand.
• Water companies are investing in long-term mains replacement programmes to reduce leakage.  Ofwat release an annual report on leakage figures.  They also monitor water companies that fail to meet their targets and work with them to help reduce leakage. 
• If water companies’ resources start to diminish as a result of a drought, the company will implement its Drought Plan.  This plan outlines a series of actions that a water company can take to effectively manage the water resources available during a drought.  These actions generally include the following:
  • Publicity campaign to increase awareness of the drought situation and reduce water demand
  • Hosepipe ban
  • Use of emergency river support schemes
  • Drought orders and permits to abstract more water
  • Non-essential use ban drought order
  • Emergency drought orders (Standpipes, rota cuts and emergency licence variation)

What is the role of Government?

• Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) and (WAG) Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for managing drought situations in England and Wales. 
• Defra and WAG develop the legislation for drought management and make directions to water companies about their drought plans. 
• Defra and WAG work closely with us and the water companies to ensure that the public water supply is maintained and that the environment does not suffer unduly.  Defra’s formal role when water is under stress is to deal with drought order applications made to the Secretary of State.  Similarly, in Wales the Welsh Assembly Government deals with drought order applications made to the National Assembly for Wales. 
• Defra has policy responsibility for the legislation that governs water resources and which includes the law relating to hosepipe bans, drought permits and drought orders.  Similarly WAG decides on these matters in Wales.

How much water is available?

• Even when we have normal amounts of rain, the high population density in England and Wales means there is less water available per person than in some Mediterranean countries who receive much less rain.
• While some parts receive large volumes of rain, we also have a high population density.  The result is that, for each person, there is relatively little water. 

How much rain do we need to secure water supplies?

• Even when we have normal amounts of rain, the high population density in England and Wales means there is less water available per person than in some Mediterranean countries who receive much less rain.
• Although there is pressure on our water resources, we are not running out of water.  Demand for water is greatest in the east and south east of the country, and longer term planning is aimed at finding the best way of meeting new demands in these areas. 
• Every 5 years, water companies are required by law to produce Water Resource Management Plans to identify the volume of water needed to meet the forecast demand level over a 25 year period.  If the volumes of water currently available to the water company do not meet the predicted demand taking into account the natural variability of rainfall and demand, they implement demand management measures or bring on line a water resource scheme to restore the balance between supply and demand. 
• In planning for future water supply requirements, the Environment Agency and water companies use a twin track approach which means ensuring demand management measures are implemented as well as the development of new water resource schemes when the need is justified.

If climate change will mean less water is available in the future, but the population will increase, how will everyone have the water they need?

• Climate change is likely to increase the frequency and severity of summer droughts, as well as increasing demand for bathing and gardening water. Coupled with rising demand both from existing households and from new housing we shall see a major pressure on our finite water resources.  In the face of these pressures we are taking steps to ensure that water resources are managed more flexibly and used more efficiently.
• Our Water Resources Strategy sets out what needs to be done over the coming decades to ensure there will be enough water for people and the environment now and in the future.
• The uncertainty associated with climate change is taken into account in all the water industry forecast work and accounted for in the predictions for future water resource requirements.
• Further details on the likely effects of climate change based on the recently published UKCP09 climate change scenarios can be found on our climate change website.

Why haven’t we got a national grid to evenly distribute supplies?

• Water is very heavy and costly to pump around, so a national water grid would be extremely expensive.  It would also damage the environment, both locally and in its heavy use of energy.  Our view is that a national grid is not the best solution.  This view is shared by Ministers, Consumer Council for Water and the water companies themselves.
• It is estimated that building a national grid would cost up to 10 times as much as building new reservoirs closer to the area requiring the water. 
• The best long-term solution is to use local transfers, to develop local water resources and to help people change the way they use water.
• Water is already transferred between areas and it is up to the water companies to ensure they manage their supplies effectively. 

Can we use seawater?

• Desalination is the process used to create fresh water from seawater.  This is a very expensive and energy intensive way of producing water.  Emissions produced as a result of the desalination process add to global warming.  It is far better to develop local water resources and use the water we have wisely. 
• Water companies can look at options to use desalination to provide water where future demand pressures might exceed supply. 

What other solutions are being looked at?

• As part of the Water Resource Planning process water companies are required to review all the options available to them to maintain water supply.  These options range from desalination and effluent re-use to tankering of water and other unconventional options.  Many of the more unusual options are not considered viable at this time due to the cost associated with implementing them, as opposed to other options currently available.  Should water supply become very short in the future, some of the more unusual options may become economically viable.