Environment secretary Caroline Spelman calls on water companies and public to plan now for 2012 water shortage

This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

Drought will almost certainly hit parts of England next summer unless there is sustained rainfall this winter, according to the environment secretary, Caroline Spelman.

Her warning came on Thursday as South East Water applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for a drought order to help refill Ardingly reservoir, where the level of usable water is now just 12%, to secure supplies for East and West Sussex.

Spelman warned that water companies and the public needed to plan now for a potential drought in 2012. Spring in 2011 had been the driest in England for a century.

The Environment Agency said the south-east of England was at a high risk of drought because of continued low rainfall, while central and eastern England were unlikely to see a full recovery from current water shortages.

Parts of the rivers Colne, Nene, Trent and Kennet are nearing their lowest-ever recorded levels for November, a report by the agency has revealed.

Anglian Water has already been issued with a drought permit allowing it to refill two of its reservoirs from rivers in an attempt to avoid hosepipe bans next year.

Severn Trent Water will have to apply for a drought permit to refill the Tittesworth reservoir in Staffordshire if it is not replenished naturally by next spring, the agency said.

The drought order requested by South East Water would allow the company to reduce the minimum flow of the river Ouse and slow down the rate of water drawn out of Ardingly reservoir so that it can refill more quickly.

Lee Dance, head of water resources for South East Water, said: "Faced with a worsening drought situation, and with no sign of significant rainfall and customer demand for water continuing, it is vital we take immediate steps to protect Ardingly reservoir and our customers' water supplies."

He said the short-term impacts on the river Ouse would be minimal but measures had been put in place to protect the environment.

Spelman said: "It may have surprised people that we've granted Anglian Water a drought permit in November, but it is a warning of the need to take action now after the country has seen the driest 12 months since records began.

"Everyone has worked hard to stave off any threat of hosepipe bans this year, and help keep our rivers flowing.

"Unfortunately, if we have another dry winter, there is a high risk that parts of the country will almost certainly be in drought next summer – so it's vital we plan ahead to meet this challenge."

She added: "Droughts are not new but we may face a future with less rainfall and less certainty about when that rain will fall."