The majority of reservoirs had been “exceptionally low” by September, with some close to to the purpose of being classed as “dead storage”, the place the standard of the remaining water is so poor that treating it is probably not attainable.
Yorkshire Water helicoptered a brief pipeline throughout a protected space so it might switch water from one reservoir to a different whereas Southern Water got here near reaching the authorized restrict it might summary from a chalk stream.
Reservoirs within the South West had been additionally critically low. One particularly, the Upper Tamar, would have emptied and “become unusable” with out a drought allow, the EA stated.
The area stays in drought standing one 12 months on with a hosepipe ban nonetheless in place throughout Cornwall and now components of Devon, although that is set to raise on the finish of September, South West Water stated.
Campaigners imagine the disaster to be a making of the water business’s neglect of infrastructure with the Government failing to carry it to account.
Megan Corton Scott, political campaigner for Greenpeace UK, stated: “With leaky infrastructure wasting up to a trillion litres of water a year and no new reservoirs built for decades, climate change could bring severe water shortages to the UK and once again this Government is playing fast and loose with the future of the country.”
The EA paperwork present how the company was involved that Yorkshire Water might probably harm a protected pure space on the South Pennine Moors by transferring water from the Walshaw Dean Upper reservoir to Ponden reservoir in Worth Valley.
Levels in Worth Valley had dropped to under 28% of their capability by final September and had been forecast to fall by an extra 20%.
Yorkshire Water stated its actions ensured their was no interruption to individuals’s water provide and that it spoke with Natural England about not disturbing the South Pennine Moors through the water switch.
A spokesperson stated: “As a responsible landowner in the area, we completely understand the sensitivity of the South Pennine Moors and operate within these protected sites regularly so we used helicopters to help us transport and lay a temporary pipeline across the South Pennine Moors from Walshaw Dean reservoir to Ponden reservoir.”
Southern Water stated it got here near breaching the authorized restrict of what it might summary from the Tess and Itchen rivers in Hampshire as a result of its allowance was tightened in 2019, that means it needed to apply for a drought allow late final summer season.
This would have posed a danger to Atlantic salmon that use the river, in response to the EA paperwork, although Southern Water stated the allow was not wanted in the long run following autumn rain and so it was withdrawn.
In the occasion, ranges on the river by no means dropped under the hands-off circulation, no drought allow was wanted and we withdrew our utility
A spokesperson stated: “In 2022 as we saw river levels drop, we applied for a drought permit and did everything we could to reduce demand and protect the rivers including widespread water efficiency advertising and eventually the imposition of a temporary-use ban.
“In the event, levels on the river never dropped below the hands-off flow, no drought permit was needed and we withdrew our application.”
The EA warned South West Water that they must begin offering bottled water and tanker vehicles if the dry climate continued, the paperwork present.
They issued a drought allow to assist South West Water refill the Colliford reservoir over the winter, which the company described as a “strategic” reservoir for Cornwall and stated there are “significant risks to security of supply next year” if the corporate doesn’t use the drought allow.
A spokesperson for South West Water informed Unearthed there had solely been strain at Colliford and that nobody suffered lack of provide, whereas they strongly disagree with any suggestion of the corporate being unprepared.
An EA spokesperson stated: “Last year’s summer was one of the hottest on record. The Environment Agency worked to provide timely advice to government, ensure water companies were implementing their drought plans and helping farmers to manage resources.
“Through the National Drought Group, we will always review what can be done to improve our future preparedness and strengthen our planning.”
