The Environment Agency has declared an official drought across half of England following a period of record low rainfall and elevated temperatures on July 29, 2026.
Seven distinct regions face formal drought status as water usage outpaces natural replenishment.
Official declarations cover East Anglia, Hertfordshire, London, the Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex.
The widespread conditions follow an unusually flash drought onset despite a wet winter season.
July is on track to set records as the driest month ever recorded in England, with the country receiving only 7 percent of its expected monthly rainfall.
Southern England recorded just 1 percent of its typical precipitation levels during the same period.
The declaration coincides with heat health alerts issued by the UK Health Security Agency across major portions of the country.
An amber heat health alert remains active until July 30 at 9 a. m.
for London, the East Midlands, the East of England, and the South East.
Additionally, yellow heat health alerts cover Yorkshire and the Humber, the South West, and the West Midlands through the same Thursday morning deadline.
The current event marks the third drought recorded in the past five years, following similar crises in 2022 and 2025.
Urgent Call for Water Conservation
Environment Agency Director of Water and National Drought Group Chairwoman Helen Wakeham addressed the severity of the shortage.
"The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it," said Wakeham.
Wakeham emphasized that back-to-back dry summer conditions present serious long-term consequences for local communities and ecosystems.
"A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife and the economy," she said.
She urged the public to balance personal safety during the heatwave with conservative water habits.
"We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated during the hot weather but every drop we can save is a drop more for nature and agriculture," said Wakeham.
According to the Environment Agency, droughts represent natural events that cannot be uniformly defined because each instance varies in characteristics, duration, and timing.
The agency categorizes these shortages into agricultural, environmental, and water supply droughts based on soil moisture levels and public delivery concerns.
