Agency voices drought fears for 2004

The Environment Agency has today warned that despite the recent rain and forecast for further heavy rain this week, unless the UK receives higher than the winter average rainfall between now and March much of England and Wales could face "water shortages and drought" in 2004.

Since February, England and Wales has experienced one of the driest periods on record – the second driest since 1921 - and this has put water supplies under "immense pressure" and drained existing resources, the agency said.

The agency has warned the public not to waste water, saying that if the entire adult population of England and Wales turned the tap off while brushing their teeth, it could save up to 180Ml (mega litres) per day –enough to supply water to nearly 1.2 million people or nearly 500,000 households on a daily basis.

While public water supplies have not been affected the prolonged dry spell has caused reduced river flows, significant drops in reservoir storage and environmental impacts on wildlife in some areas. It will take around another four weeks of persistent rainfall for river flows and groundwater levels to begin a sustained recovery, the Environment Agency claimed.

The most serious situation is in the South East and Thames Basin, where over the past three months some locations have seen as little as 30% of their average rainfall leaving many rivers flowing at only 20% of their seasonal average by the end of October.

Barbara Young, Environment Agency Chief Executive, said: "We should not become complacent just because we have had heavy rainfall in the last few days. England and Wales has had an exceptionally dry summer and autumn and while water supplies have provided for us throughout this period and supplies are secure for the coming winter, unless we receive higher than average rainfall between now and March we could be faced with water restrictions and serious water shortages in 2004."

The Agency said that it would continue to monitor the situation and should know by early in the New Year if, when and where any shortages are likely to occur in 2004.

(gmcg)