Droughts
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the level of surplus water availability during periods of expected drought.
Answered by Emma Hardy
Water companies must plan for secure supplies during severe droughts, without the need for emergency restrictions. The 2024/2025 annual review of water company data showed that England has an overall surplus. However, this is less than expected in half of areas. Regulators are working closely with water companies to improve progress on delivering new water supplies and managing water demand reductions in response to this.
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