Environment Agency issues drought permit to Severn Trent Water

• The permit enables Severn Trent Water to secure public water supplies, should below-average rainfall continue

• Despite recent intermittent wet weather, drought conditions in the Midlands region may continue into next year.

With drought continuing to impact the Midlands, the Environment Agency has approved a drought permit application to help refill Carsington and Ogston reservoirs.

The drought permit changes abstraction licence conditions that stipulate when and how much water can be taken from the River Derwent. The permit enables Severn Trent Water to secure public water supplies, should below-average rainfall continue.

The Environment Agency has approved the permit application after careful consideration, and following the water company's public consultation.

Bryan Hemmings, East Midlands Drought Manager at the Environment Agency, said:

We only issue a drought permit if there are clear plans in place to mitigate any impact on the environment - along with strong evidence from the water company of their ongoing commitment to reduce leaks, improve water efficiency and conserve water.

We'll continue to work closely with Severn Trent Water as it develops long-term solutions to protect water resources while drought conditions continue across East Midlands.

While the autumn and winter months are usually wetter, there is no guarantee that there will be enough rain to replenish rivers and reservoirs after months of predominantly dry weather.

If rainfall remains below average, having the drought permit in place will allow Severn Trent to take action to safeguard the public water supply.

Severn Trent Water will have to inform the Environment Agency before using the drought permit.

The water company will also have to carry out monitoring and mitigation to assess and manage potential environmental impacts.

Drought persists in the Midlands

The Environment Agency's East and West Midlands Areas have been in drought since 15 July 2025. Recent intermittently wet weather has not been enough to break the spell, and drought conditions may well persist into next year.

Reservoirs across East Midlands are below what they normally are at this time of the year. At the end of October, in total they were 48% full, compared with 85% at the same time last year.

Unfortunately, a wet autumn and winter are needed to reverse the impacts of months of below-average rainfall. It can take a long time to fully replenish aquifers, rivers and reservoirs.

Every drop of water we use at home and work comes from our natural environment. There are simple steps people can take to help conserve water, including shorter showers, using water from washing-up to water plants, and fixing leaky taps and toilets. More tips at https://waterwise.org.uk/how-to-save-water/

Background

• Severn Trent Water has an abstraction licence to take water from the River Derwent at Ambergate to fill its Carsington and Ogston reservoirs. The licence stipulates that the water company must reduce abstraction to 15 megalitres of water per day (Ml/d) when the average daily flow in the River Derwent is below 680 Ml/d (measured at the Environment Agency's Derby gauging station). The drought permit changes this licence condition so that the water company only needs to reduce abstraction when the river is recording a lower average daily flow of 500 Ml/d.

Read more about drought and dry weather: