England drought conditions worsened in the week of 17 to 23 July 2026, when the country received 3% of its long term average rainfall for the month and almost 40% of the population were facing water use restrictions. The Environment Agency said river flows, reservoir storage and soil moisture were all worsening at the same time.
Reservoir storage fell to 75.3% for England, about 7.4% below the long term average for the time of year. River flows also dropped, with 84% classified as below normal or lower, while soil moisture deficits reached record levels across the north-east, central, south-east and south-west England for this point in July.
South East Water and Southern Water
The restrictions were already in place across several areas before the weekly report was published. South East Water had put temporary use bans in place in Kent on 3 July, Southern Water followed in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on 10 July, and Anglian Water imposed temporary use bans on 11 July.
South West Water brought in temporary use bans on 14 July for a small area in parts of Devon and Dorset, then Affinity Water did the same for its central region on 17 July. Cambridge Water also put temporary use bans in place on 17 July.
The Environment Agency and South West Water
On 20 July, the Environment Agency received a drought permit application from South West Water and was reviewing it. Southern Water also had the potential to apply for a River Test drought order later in July.
The practical pressure is showing up beyond household limits. Prolonged dry weather is creating significant challenges for agriculture, with early cereal harvesting under way, reduced crop yields reported, livestock farmers using winter forage reserves sooner than usual, and 1,353 abstraction licence restrictions already in place.
England in the week of 17 to 23 July
Despite the record soil moisture deficits and the wider drought response, the report still said further voluntary or formal water restrictions were likely only if dry conditions continued. That leaves water companies, farm operators and households in the same position for now: managing tighter use rules while waiting to see whether the dry spell eases or forces another round of limits.
