Summer of drought shows we can no longer think of the UK as a wet country

In 2025 the UK experienced its warmest, driest spring in over 50 years, and the Mediterranean weather could well continue throughout the summer. Drought has already been declared in the northwest of England and in Yorkshire, and there are now concerns about managing water supply in the short term, as well as into the future.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive, said: “We no longer have the luxury of thinking and behaving as if we are a wet country with an unlimited supply of water – this is simply not the case. We must change how we manage our water or our green and pleasant land will become a distant memory. We need to start holding onto our water as a precious resource, turning our land and cities into sponges, recharging groundwater aquifers and slowing the flow instead of encouraging it to rush out to sea in straightened rivers and drains, taking pollutants and our vital soils with it. Water should be managed as close as possible to where it falls as rain and appreciated for the critical role it plays in our economy, ecosystems and to keep us alive.”

On 17th June, the Environment Agency shared that England faces a 5 billion litre a day shortfall for public water supplies by 2055. A further one billion litres a day will also be needed to generate energy, grow food, and support emerging technologies. According to the EA, 60% of this deficit will be addressed by water companies managing customer demand – which is currently 140 litres per person per day compared to Denmark’s 110 - and dramatically reducing leaks. The remaining 40% would come from boosting supply including through the construction of new reservoirs and water transfer schemes.

Lloyd responded: “We cannot simply build and bulldoze our way to water resilience. Working with nature to manage water is key to reducing the ever-growing risks of both drought and flooding. Implementing nature-based measures such as ponds, wetlands, re-wiggled rivers connected to their floodplains and above all healthy soils at a landscape scale would help to protect vital water supplies and also reduce flood risk in winter deluges, boost biodiversity and secure food production.”

Nature-based solutions are central to the recently launched Making Space for Water campaign, led by The Riverscapes Partnership. The coalition of nature charities, comprised of The Rivers Trust, National Trust, The Woodland Trust and Beaver Trust, has launched a petition calling on government to provide easily accessible funding schemes for farmers and landowners to create a network of nature-rich river corridors across the UK. The group is suggesting a range of measures for which, when implemented at scale, would form a connected network of habitats reaching every corner of the nation:

• River buffers

• Riparian trees

• Wetlands

• Floodplain meadows

• River wiggling and naturalisation

• Beaver populations

Lloyd added: “Embracing the natural function of rivers through nature-based solutions would go a long way towards a more climate-resilient future, but each and every one of us should also consider our personal water use. Anyone can help from the comfort of their home and garden by making a few simple lifestyle tweaks, whether that’s taking shorter showers, growing drought-resistant plants, swapping the hosepipe for a watering can, or installing a water butt. When it comes to being water wise, small adjustments make a big difference for people and rivers alike.”