Defra··ReleaseWater
Defra orders water firms to step up drought monitoring in England
Defra has declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex and ordered water companies to increase monitoring of reservoirs and rivers. The department says household supplies will stay uninterrupted and the aim is to protect water before any disruption occurs.
Our readThe order puts the regulatory weight on water companies well before supply is actually at risk, which is the kind of early intervention regulators are usually criticised for skipping.
Read the announcement at Defra →

More from Defra
- Government pledges £25m to restore England's peatlands against wildfiresFlood & Coastal · 22 October 2026
More in Water
- Irish water utility to lay new water main in LetterkennyUisce Éireann · 11 November 2026
- Boil water notice stays in Tipperary Town as Irish water utility connects new sourceUisce Éireann · 10 November 2026
- English mayors asked to form eight councils with a say on rivers and waterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · 10 November 2026
- Uisce Éireann's €29.5 million plant upgrade to benefit DungarvanUisce Éireann · 9 November 2026
- Burst water main disrupts supply across Leixlip, Maynooth and CelbridgeUisce Éireann · 8 November 2026
- Barhale nears finish on £6 million Worcester wastewater upgradeBarhale · 6 November 2026
Every item, dated and sourced
The Wire is free, every weekday morning: what regulators, government departments, network operators and developers released the day before, each item dated and read at source. Get it in your inbox.