It's been raining all week. Why are we still in a drought?
It's difficult for people in temperate climates like the UK to understand why a drought isn't resolved when rainy weather starts, but the sad fact is we'll need a lot more wet to make up the shortfall.
According to a report published this week by South East Water, Ardingly reservoir in Sussex is only at 19% capacity, putting hundreds of thousands of homes at risk of water shortages over the coming months. The Environment Agency warns that, across England, reservoirs are only at 54% capacity - 21 points lower than normal for this time of year.
Contingencies are being put into place should the situation not improve over the next month or so:
- Water could be imported from Norway
- Standpipes may need to be installed in residential streets
- Temporary desalination equipment could be deployed
At best, these are expensive, time-consuming, and inconvenient.
What Can We Do?
There has never been a better time to look at your home's water resilience. That means storing water to last a few days should there be a shortage, and collecting rainwater you can treat and use safely. That means investing in a big water butt and a purifier.
For household use, we'd recommend a LifeSaver Jerrycan or Cube, which can be filled from the water butt once a day, providing plenty of drinking water - depending on the size of your family - plus water to wash with.
What else?
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to do right now, though, is to keep your water usage to a minimum; don't leave taps running, don't use the hosepipes to clean the car, don't use washing machines or dishwashers for half-loads. Remember that every drop matters.
Unfortunately, the only way to get past this water shortage is by getting lots and lots of wet weather, ideally long, gentle showers that can be absorbed by the earth and water systems without causing flooding. The Super El Niño may help us out with that, or it may bring short bouts of heavy rain that cause more problems. Only time will tell.
All we can do is prepare.