Understand
Ardingly Reservoir falls below 20% capacity as drought conditions persist in southern England
Overview
Ardingly Reservoir in West Sussex has dropped below 20% capacity following one of the hottest summers on record, prompting South East Water to warn that the region remains in a drought. The company has implemented hosepipe restrictions and obtained a drought permit to retain water, while repair crews work to fix leaks. Although standpipes remain part of the drought plan, officials consider their use unlikely unless the autumn and winter remain exceptionally dry. South East Water also faces ongoing scrutiny following previous supply failures and oversight from independent monitors.
Key points
- Ardingly Reservoir's capacity has fallen to 19.4% following a record-hot summer.
- South East Water states that the region remains in a drought and urgently needs winter rainfall to replenish supplies.
- Hosepipe restrictions were introduced on 9 October, and a drought permit was granted to keep more water in the reservoir.
- South East Water has 92 repair crews addressing network leaks across Kent and Sussex.
- The use of standpipes is currently considered unlikely unless autumn and winter weather remains very dry.
- The company remains under scrutiny and independent oversight following previous supply failures affecting thousands of homes.