Drought and water restriction outlook

9 water-company areas are currently listed with an active Temporary Use Ban in the national index, last checked on 8 August 2026.

Who has an active ban

  • ActiveAffinity Water

    Affinity Water Central region

    Effective 16 Jul 2026 · Official notice

  • ActiveAnglian Water

    Anglian Water supply area, excluding Hartlepool

    Effective 11 Jul 2026 · Official notice

  • ActiveEssex & Suffolk Water

    All Essex & Suffolk Water customers

    Effective 2 Aug 2026 · Official notice

  • ActiveCambridge Water

    All Cambridge Water customers

    Effective 17 Jul 2026 · Official notice

  • ActiveSouthern Water

    Southern Water customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

    Effective 9 Jul 2026 · Official notice

  • ActiveSouth East Water

    All South East Water supply areas; Kent began 3 July and remaining areas began 25 July

    Effective 24 Jul 2026 · Official notice

  • ActiveSouth West Water

    All South West Water customers in Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly

    Effective 7 Aug 2026 · Official notice

  • ActiveDŵr Cymru Welsh Water

    Mid and south Ceredigion, parts of north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire

    Effective 19 Jul 2026 · Official notice

  • ActiveThames Water

    All customers whose water is supplied by Thames Water

    Effective 22 Jul 2026 · Official notice

View the national index · All water companies

Reservoir levels now

23 published readings are available, from water companies and the Environment Agency. The lowest current readings are a snapshot, not a forecast.

  • Blagdon Lake

    53.0% storage · observed 11 Aug 2026 · Detail

  • Pennine Sources

    54.6% storage · observed 9 Aug 2026 · Detail

  • Haweswater & Thirlmere

    55.2% storage · observed 9 Aug 2026 · Detail

  • Clywedog Reservoir

    55.6% storage · observed 10 Aug 2026 · Detail

  • Ardingly Reservoir

    55.7% storage · observed 9 Aug 2026 · Detail

  • Derwent Valley reservoir group

    56.6% storage · observed 10 Aug 2026 · Detail

All reservoir levels

What to check for your area

A national or company position is not your exact answer. Enter your full postcode to see the supplier, the official restriction and any available local water outlook.

Index check, not a drought declaration. Otter reflects Water UK’s published notice list and supplier figures. The Environment Agency, not Otter, formally declares drought conditions.