Hosepipe ban in force for millions of households – is your area affected?

Drought is a complex phenomenon caused by a mixture of natural and human causes.

The Met Office expects the UK to experience drier summers on average in the future as the world warms, although there is no clear trend so far.

But rising temperatures may play a more direct role by drawing extra moisture from the soil through evaporation.

“A warmer atmosphere has a greater need for moisture, and this can mean water in soils, rivers and reservoirs is depleted more effectively, leading to a faster onset of droughts, heatwaves and wildfires,” said Richard Allan, professor of climate science at the University of Reading.

But there are other factors that determine whether dry conditions will lead to water shortages, including how we use water.

In a groundbreaking review of England and Wales’s water sector, water companies have been criticized for their historical underinvestment in water infrastructure.

As part of plans to address water scarcity, the government and water companies are planning nine new reservoirs for England by 2050, in addition to a reservoir under construction at Havant Thicket in Hampshire.

But the Environment Agency has warned that measures to tackle water leaks and control water demand – potentially including hose bans and smarter meters – may also be required in England.

All public and not-for-profit water companies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also said they were taking steps to secure future supplies.