Yorkshire’s reservoir stocks have been decreasing since late January due to the dry and warm weather, with stocks today currently at 35.8% – well below the 73.4% average for this time of year.
Dave Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said: “We’re expecting some more welcome rainfall over the next few days. While welcome, it is likely to be taken up by plants and the parched ground and countryside, with very little making its way into our reservoirs.
“Hosepipe restrictions will remain in place until reservoir stocks have recovered – this could extend into the winter – as we are planning for the short-term and to ensure we have adequate supplies heading into the spring and summer of 2026.
“The efforts of customers to reduce water usage, our work to reduce leakage and the drought orders and permits we have in place, as well as others we have applied for, are all helping to reduce demand and protect the water stocks so everyone will have the water they need.”
What next for Yorkshire Water customers?
Yorkshire Water was asked specifically about how low levels would be managed and what the next ‘trigger’ point would be in its drought plan, to fully understand what further restrictions for customers might follow. Yorkshire Bylines asked how close we are to the drought control line for this time of year and what future steps are in hand if levels continue to drop.
Yorkshire Water failed to give any specifics, saying instead:
“There is no numerical level triggering ‘a next stage’ as there’s lots of factors that feed into any decisions taken i.e. reservoir levels, demand, future forecasts. There’s a range of further restrictions that we could take – for example, restrictions on business use – but we aren’t there yet.
“Previous weather patterns also indicate we will receive rainfall in the autumn and winter months, again reducing the likelihood of additional measures. As would be expected, we plan for every eventuality and our Drought Plan outlines a range of further restrictions that can be implemented should they be required.”
However, if we are already at 35% as August comes to an end, we are going to be very close to the drought control line (above in red) and the last time that was breached was 30 years ago.
Pressures on rivers
Last week, the Environment Agency approved an application for an emergency drought order to extract additional water from the River Wharfe in Yorkshire – a permit which will last until February 2026. The River Wharfe at Ilkley is a designated ‘bathing water’. The issuing of this permit will mean a reduced amount of water in the designated bathing water.
With the bathing water season closing at the end of September and therefore testing of the water also stopping until next May, there remains a degree of uncertainty about what the health and quality of the river will be like next year. Some rivers in Yorkshire are already below critical levels.
In a letter to the Environment Agency and Emma Hardy MP, who is minister for water and flooding, regarding the approval of the drought application, the Ilkley Clean River Campaign, said: “This is an abject failure of the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water to plan for predictable climate change. Beyond the obvious work that needs to take place to stop leaks from badly maintained sewage infrastructure and increase storage capacity, right now the first step should be a massive public information campaign so that the public understands how serious the situation is, and what they can do to help.”
Addressing Hardy directly, the letter highlighted the 120 million litres that could be removed every day by Yorkshire Water and called for a task force to ensure that Yorkshire has a resilient water supply.
“The Environment Agency has approved a drought permit that allows Yorkshire Water to extract 120 million litres a day from the Wharfe, whilst also restricting water input from the upstream Grimwith reservoir. At the same time Yorkshire Water is leaking over double this amount per day from its poorly maintained pipes.
“The river here is the lowest any of us have seen, you can now walk across the river. This means that pollution is concentrated, and the water heats up quickly, both are devastating for fish. Taking water out is an extreme response to the drought, when other steps should be taken first.
“This is of course an abject failure of planning, which needs an urgent response – with a crisis task force convened to make sure we have a resilient water supply this year, and plans in place for the medium and longer term. We see nothing that resembles this in Yorkshire. Will you be requiring such a crisis task force?”
That a crisis task force should be created to ensure a resilient water supply in the UK, should ring a very loud alarm bell about the management of water in this country.
The shape of things to come
With the Met Office poised to announce that 2025 has been the hottest summer on record, and with the global average temperature continuing to rise, hot and dry springs and summers will become more common. How the UK water industry responds to this climate threat needs to involve a critical strategy.
