Drought has been declared in Yorkshire due to low water levels in reservoirs and rivers following prolonged periods of dry weather in the spring and summer, the Environment Agency said.
This summer saw Britain’s hottest consistent temperatures on record, with much of the country paced in drought conditions for extended periods, as households faced hosepipe bans en masse.
Water companies cited demand outweighing supply, as reservoirs and other vital infrastructure fell far below optimal capacity.
The Environment Agency said there are still low water levels in reservoirs and rivers in many parts of Yorkshire, despite recent spells of rainfall.
Central, southern and eastern England are also on the tail end of drought status, while the North East and North West remain in prolonged dry weather.
Vicki Townend, area environment manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said: “The Yorkshire area has had the fifth driest April to September on record.
“This ongoing lack of rainfall means the flow in rivers and groundwater levels in certain parts of our area are very low and have now reached our trigger for declaring a drought.
“Even if we receive a few weeks of rain, we cannot quickly reverse the effects of the lack of rainfall during a very dry spring and summer.”
