What is a drought?
A drought is defined as when an area experiences a shortage of water for a long time. This happens because there isn’t enough rainfall to meet the usual needs of the environment, agriculture, and human activities.
During a drought, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs can dry up, soil moisture decreases, and crops and plants struggle to grow. This can lead to water shortages for drinking, irrigation, and other uses, impacting both the ecosystem and human communities.
In essence, a drought is a significant imbalance between water supply and demand, often leading to serious consequences for the environment and society.
This risk is likely to be impacted by climate change.
Local risk rating: High
What does the Local Resilience Forum do to prepare?
We cannot control when the next drought will be, or how severe it will be, but we can work together now to improve our preparation and resilience to dry weather and drought.
Water Companies produce Water Resource Management Plans to state how they will meet the future demand for water. Along with the Environment Agency they also prepare Drought Plans which specify how both organisations would work together to meet public water supply needs and environmental requirements under drought conditions.
The first stage of the drought plan is a media campaign, urging people to save water and thus avoid the need to take specific measures. For example, use a water butt to collect any rainfall.
If drought continues, and water levels continue to decrease, further measures are brought in to save water. This includes a hosepipe ban, which forbids the use of hosepipes, and can be applied to hot tubs, pressure washers and other similar devices in a future drought.
The third stage involves conserving any non-essential supplies of water. These measures are brought in when no precipitation is forecast, and water supplies are already very low. The options include:
- widening the hosepipe bans, to include sprinklers,
- drastic measures such as banning cleaning of buildings, vehicles and windows or the filling of swimming pools.
The fourth and final stage involves drastic measures of water rationing to all businesses and homes in the United Kingdom in an emergency drought order. The measures are brought in only in exceptional conditions of extended periods with little or no rainfall. This means no water supplies at certain times of the day or allowing water for a specific amount of time. Standpipes and water tankers can be used as a last resort to have only set amounts of water given to each household in a neighbourhood.
Associated risks
- Climate Change
- Fish Kills
- Algae Bloom
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- Sunlight: Lots of sunlight can contribute to algal blooms.
- Temperature: Warm temperatures can contribute to algal blooms
How can you prepare?
One of the most important steps to take to prepare for a drought is to let your water provider know if you need additional help. This is called the Priority Services Register. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the links to sign up.
The best way to prepare for a drought is to use water efficiently throughout the year:
Saving water at home
Check your water supply for leaks by taking two meter readings 30 minutes apart.
Repair any leaking faucets
Store some safe drinking water
Saving water in the bathroom
Take shorter showers and reduce the amount of baths you have
Replace your showerhead with an ultra-low flow version
Put a bucket in your shower to catch excess water for plants
Turn the tap off while you’re brushing your teeth
Saving water in the kitchen
Ensure your dishwasher is full before running it. Use the 'light' cycle and try not to rinse plates beforehand
Don't waste water while waiting for it to become hot or cold - capture it for other uses, like watering plants
Use washing machines when they're full or set the water level for the size of your load
Saving water outside
Consider using a commercial car wash which recycles water instead of washing your own car
Collect rainwater to clean your car and water your plants
Helpful links and resources
To join the water PSR, you will first need to know who supplies your water. If you don’t know who supplies your water, use the link below to find out
