Nottinghamshire has officially been moved into drought Status after the driest summer in 50 years. The county joins the rest if the East Midlands, along with the East England, South West England, and other parts of Southern and central England in being impacted by Friday's drought status confirmation on Friday, August 12.
Environment Agency said the decision was made following a meeting of the National Drought Group in response to the prolonged dry weather
Residents and businesses are now being asked to be mindful of the pressures on water resources and to use water wisely.
Harvey Bradshaw, Environment Agency executive director for the environment and chair of the NDG, said: "The current high temperatures we are experiencing have exacerbated pressures on wildlife and our water environment. EA staff are doing an excellent job responding to environmental impacts and working with water companies to make sure they are following their drought plans. We urge everyone to manage the amount of water they are using in this exceptionally dry period.”
Read more: Severn Trent outlines how people can 'use water wisely' in driest summer since 1911
Despite the dry conditions, Severn Trent is not currently imposing any hosepipe bans on Nottinghamshire. The water supplier is following its Drought Action Plan, and has not hit the triggers for a hosepipe ban.
A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “We are not in a hosepipe ban in our region and today’s news doesn’t change this. As the summer sunshine continues, there’s naturally a greater demand for water so our teams are working around the clock to keep the network in good shape.
"Our region has experienced the driest July in a century and with no rainfall in the forecast, we’re asking people to be mindful of their water use, as small behavioural changes can add up to a big difference. We’d like to thank all our customers for their continued support as the warm and dry weather continues into the summer."
Nottinghamshire residents we spoke to said they are concerned, and feel everyone now needs to do their part. Sales assistant, Jean Marriot, 49, of Sherwood, said: “We all need to do our bit.
"I try to save water and electricity wherever I can. With the weather, people should have seen this coming.
"I don’t understand people who say climate change isn’t real, it’s happening before our eyes. I think that how to save energy and water should be reinforced in the workplace too like how it is in schools, everyone has a part to play.”
Twins Stephan and Andrew Thompson, who own a greengrocer on Haydn Road, Sherwood, also shared their views. Stephan, 63, said: “We are on sandstone in Nottingham, there are three reservoirs here.
"The government needs to get rid of the leaks and repair the roads.” Andrew added: “It’s a myth, it won’t affect anyone.”
Similarly Calum Thompson, 23, said: “I don’t think we should be worried, we’re one of the richest countries in the world, people just need to be sensible about their water usage.”The law student who lives in Sherwood continued and said: “We can’t not use water but we can definitely monitor how much we use, I’m not surprised we’re in a drought though, there’s been a lack of rain for a while.”
However, self-employed Viv Hart, 62, of Sherwood is "worried and concerned" about the conditions. She said: "It’s disgusting, there’s been a continuous drought and the water table is dropping.
"There’s been mismanagement and not enough information about climate change happening all over the world. There needs to be smaller offices and more working from home options, like during the pandemic when people were saving petrol.”
Viv is also a member of Green Peace, and added: “I’m worried about ancient trees, young trees are dying and old ones are breaking. I’ve been with Green Peace since 1970 and they’ve said many times that they knew this was coming.”
Water Minister, Steve Double, added: "We are currently experiencing a second heatwave after what was the driest July on record for parts of the country. Action is already being taken by the Government and other partners including the Environment Agency to manage the impacts.
"All water companies have reassured us that essential supplies are still safe, and we have made it clear it is their duty to maintain those supplies. We are better prepared than ever before for periods of dry weather, but we will continue to closely monitor the situation, including impacts on farmers and the environment, and take further action as needed."
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