The Environment Agency declared the new status for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on July 10, raising concerns about water resources and environmental protection, particularly around the River Test.
Richard O’Callaghan, environment planning and engagement manager at the Environment Agency, said: “The changing climate has seen a whiplash from an exceptionally wet start of the year to prolonged dry weather.
“The pressures on the environment will become heavier. The Environment Agency is positioning itself to get ahead of that.
“We are ready to tackle any incidents during this time and make sure that the needs of the environment are balanced against demands for more water from our most sensitive waterways.”
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The River Test, which serves as a key water supply for both regions, is a rare chalk stream and requires careful management during periods of low rainfall.
This status allows the Environment Agency to properly consider requests for additional water usage to ensure environmental protection.
The latest dry spell follows an exceptionally wet winter, with the Environment Agency recording 186mm of rainfall in January (193 per cent of the long-term average) and 143mm in February (212 per cent).
Rainfall dropped sharply in the following months, with just 9.4mm recorded in April.
The prolonged dry weather status is set to last last six months.
The National Drought Group, which includes the Met Office, government agencies, water utilities, the National Farmers’ Union, and other stakeholders, will continue to monitor the situation and is scheduled to meet again on July 20.
As the regulator, the Environment Agency will review and decide on any drought permit requests.
Applications for drought orders will be considered by Defra and the Secretary of State, with technical advice supplied by the agency.
The Environment Agency is also backing the new water efficiency campaign ‘Let’s Save Water,’ which launched earlier this month.
It offers practical advice for reducing water use at home, including installing low-flow showerheads, running washing machines with full loads, and avoiding pre-rinsing dishes.
