Summer 2025 Droughts ‘Indicative Of Broader Trends’
The presence of the summer sun in 2025 has no doubt been very welcome, but it has brought with it some challenges – primarily in the form of drought, with three heatwaves already under our belt and a fourth just around the corner.
The week of July 25th to 31st was the driest since the middle of May, with drought conditions affecting vast swathes of England and many reservoirs now at historic lows for the time of year, such as Yorkshire Water (47 percent full) and the Pennines group (41.2 percent full).
Top regional concerns for the Environment Agency at the moment are:
– Yorkshire Water
– Some parts of United Utilities, Severn Trent Water, Thames Water & Southern Water
– South Staffordshire Water
– South East Water (due to high water demand)
Areas currently in drought are Cumbria and Lancashire, Greater Manchester Merseyside and Cheshire, Yorkshire and both the East and West Midlands.
For the last week of July, just 5mm of rainfall was recorded for England as a whole, with river flows decreasing at almost all sites and the majority of groundwater aquifers continuing to recede.
And, while wetter conditions have been seen over the last few days, the latest three-month outlook (August to October) suggests that there is a higher than normal chance of this period being warm.
This means that heatwaves and heat-related impacts are also more likely… and this, it seems, is perhaps indicative of a broader trend, something that we all should perhaps be on our guard against.
Climate change impact on extreme heat events.
With drought condition announcements taking place around the UK over the last few months and restrictions imposed as a result, such as temporary use bans and water supplier drought orders, industry experts are now emphasising the point that what we’re seeing right now is simply a sign of what’s to come as climate change continues to take hold.
David Hannah, professor of hydrology and Unesco chair in water sciences at the University of Birmingham, noted that water security is now becoming one of the biggest concerns in relation to the UK’s economy, society and environment.
“This summer represents only an early indication of a broader trend, as anthropogenic climate change is projected to significantly increase the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in the UK,” he said.
Professor Hannah continued, citing previous research from the university revealing how rivers are heating up because of reduced water levels and rising atmospheric temperatures, posing significant challenges for ecosystems and aquatic life, as well as human society.
Even now, the impacts are already being felt, with waterways under increasing levels of stress. However, the economy at large is also expected to be affected in the future in the face of extreme heat and drought, with farmers likely to see lower crop yields.
Energy production, meanwhile, may also be affected, since water abstraction from rivers is also required to cool power plant systems. If river temperatures rise, plants may find they have to operate at lower capacities, or even temporarily shut down altogether.
Making further comments, Dr Shasha Han – assistant professor in hydrology and water resources at the university – noted that reviewing the UK’s long-term historical river flow records shows that many stretches are already seeing significant changes during periods of drought and other such extreme conditions.
She cited these changes as being:
– The frequency and duration of droughts (more common and prolonged)
– The amount or volume of water flowing in rivers (with marked reductions during key periods)
– The timing of drought events (noticeable shifts when extremes occur throughout the year)
– Seasonal shifts (more intense winter rainfall and decreasing summer rainfall, with drier summers when water demand will be higher)
– Spatial variability (some regions experiencing more pronounced changes than others)
Compound drought-heatwaves & water security
Although heatwaves do serve to raise general awareness of dry conditions, these events are usually short-lived, whereas droughts can last for a lot longer than just a couple of days or weeks, with water supplies below expected levels for multiple seasons or even years.
So explains Dr James White, research fellow in water sciences at Birmingham University, noting that compound drought-heatwaves have a “double-whammy” effect on underwater ecosystems, with reduced water volumes warming up more quickly, which will have adverse impacts on wildlife, ecosystems and biodiversity.
During winter, when concentrated rainfall drops in shorter periods of time, less water is stored in underground aquifers and reservoirs, with more resources washing out to sea.
Dr White explained that combining this with increasing dryness in the following seasons “makes water security in the context of a growing population and a changing climate a fundamental societal and environmental challenge of today and tomorrow”.
He concluded by saying that urgent and radical water and environmental management actions are now required, accounting for water abstraction licence practices, the sustainable storage and use of water, and upscaling nature-based solutions to mitigate floods and alleviate droughts.
How can businesses become more drought resilient?
Before you can start saving water, you need to first develop a deeper understanding of how you use resources and where.
To this end, it is beneficial to have a water audit of your site carried out to enjoy greater visibility over water accounts, enabling you to identify the most appropriate efficiency strategies and water-saving solutions for you and your organisation.
If you’d like to find out more about how to become more water efficient and, therefore, more resilient to drought now and in the future, get in touch with the SwitchWaterSupplier.com team today.