In the South East water resources are already under pressure and the region is classed as an ‘area of serious water stress’.

The impact of population growth and climate change is likely to increase pressure on resources with hotter, drier summers and more frequent droughts.

We are taking action to secure healthy water supplies for future generations, including our water metering programme, building new resources and tackling leakage.

However, very prolonged dry periods can lead to droughts which put added pressure on these water supplies.

Droughts occur naturally and are caused by an exceptional shortage of rain.

Rain during winter is the most important to refill water sources for the following summer. Rain which falls in the summer is often soaked up by the dry ground, evaporates or is taken up by plants and trees.

Every drought is different and affects regions differently, so it is possible for parts of Sussex to be in drought while resources in Hampshire are still healthy.

We measure water resources across ten Water Resource Zones which each have different water sources and react differently to dry weather.

Click on the map to enlarge

To find out more about droughts visit the Environment Agency and Defra drought websites.