- The risk of drought is increasing across much of the UK, particularly in central and southern England, following an unusually dry start to spring that has led to below-normal river flows and groundwater levels.
- April marked the second consecutive dry month, with national rainfall 23 per cent below average, and East and South-East England experiencing their driest April since 2011.
- The latest official hydrological outlook warns that "below normal to notably low river flows" are likely to persist across central southern England into July.
- Farmers, especially in the South and East, are already concerned about water scarcity, with Cambridgeshire County Council launching a £1.38m grant scheme and planning infrastructure projects like the Fens Reservoir for the 2030s.
- Despite the dry period, Southern Water, serving 2.7 million customers, reports that its reservoir storage remains strong at 92 per cent, with most river and groundwater levels stable and in a better position than the previous year.
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