Severn Trent Water has issued autumn tips to help Gedling borough customers be water wise after warning that drought conditions could continue into 2026
The UK saw a record dry and warm summer, which had also followed a sizzling spring with drastically lower than average rainfall so far this year.
Today, the National Drought Group (NDG) has warned England should prepare for continuing drought conditions in some areas in 2026, unless there is significant rain this autumn and winter.
The expert group – which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies including Severn Trent, the National Farmers’ Union, and conservation experts – met in London.
National Drought Group chair Helen Wakeham said: “The recent rain is very welcome, but it needs to be sustained over the next six months to ensure we are ready for next year. We need a lot more rain this winter to fill up our rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater. Even if it is wet outside, I urge people to use water as efficiently as possible to protect the environment and public water supplies.
The NDG heard that England needs at least 100% of average rainfall (482mm) to largely recover from drought by the end of March next year. For context, only two months of 2025 have seen more than 100% so far.
Severn Trent has already been asking customers in the borough to continue to be mindful of their water usage through autumn, to help reservoirs return to their normal levels.
Doug Clarke, Water Resources Planning Lead at Severn Trent, said: “We’ve seen some rain in recent weeks, but it’s easy to forget we had the driest spring on record and the annual rainfall this year is way below what we normally see.
“Many of our reservoir levels are improving, but we do have less water than we would want in some of our reservoirs at this time of year.
“With climate change, experts say droughts like we experienced this year could happen more often. This is why it’s important we all do our bit to help reservoirs refill over autumn and winter and we would encourage everyone to continue to be water-wise all year round.
“By doing so, they can help the environment – and save themselves money if they have a meter, or even through their energy usage on hot water.”
Severn Trent’s seven simple water saving tips:
- Get a water meter – You wouldn’t pay for unused energy, so why would you with water? Having a smart meter puts you in control of your water usage and what you pay. Have one installed, and switch today, to start seeing how you could save. To find out more, visit here.
- Turn Off Taps While You Brush – Did you know that a running tap uses over SIX litres of water every minute? So, by turning them off while you brush your teeth, you’llbe saving over 12 litres of water. Similarly, if you’re washing the dishes, filling the bowl with water rather than having a running tap will help to save water.
- Use Water-Efficient Fixtures– We all love a power shower, but they use A LOT more water than a normal shower, so consider installing water-saving devices such as low-flow showerheads or dual-flush toilets which do the same job while using less water.
- Try a shower timer – Showers are one of the largest users of water in a household. And while you might love singing through your setlist while washing the suds out of your hair, a shower timer might just keep you on track to spend less time in there. Not only will that help lower you water bill, but it could also cut your energy bill – and your neighbour’s ears will also benefit!
- Run Full Loads – Dishwashers are becoming much more energy and water efficient and if used correctly, by only using them when it is full, can be more efficient than washing dishes by hand. Similarly, only using your washing machine on a full load will mean less cycles and less water used.
- Lag Your Pipes before Winter Chill – Protect your pipes by insulating them before any cold freeze hits. Severn Trent is responsible for the maintenance of public pipework, but homeowners are responsible for pipes and taps within their boundary – so insulating can prevent costly leaks and bursts.
