Dry run for drought

It is virtually guaranteed that when we start to discuss the possibility of a drought the heavens will open and it will rain for the entire summer. But the exceptionally dry winter over much of the country does give cause for concern. Even places that can normally expect copious amounts of rainfall, like the Lake District, are bone dry. The River Derwent has been unreplenished for so long that its rocky bed is exposed at Seathwaite; and gorse fires have broken out in the west of Scotland.

Already some water companies have advised homeowners to be careful with their use of dishwashers and washing machines. Can a garden hosepipe ban be far away? A drought will rekindle interest in a national water grid, which has been suggested on a number of occasions but which would be expensive and a difficult engineering undertaking.

But such a project would be long-term. Barring a dramatic change in the weather, which can never be ruled out in Britain, action to secure supplies may be needed within the next few months. Ever since the last significant drought was declared in 2011, the water companies have been required to put contingency plans in place to deal with its impact. This includes targets for repairing leaks and preventing the unnecessary waste of water.

If consumers are expected to treat water as the precious commodity it is then those on whom we rely to distribute it must follow suit. Resilience in the event of persistent low rainfall should by now have been built into the planning of water companies, provided they have followed through on their promises. Their customers will have cause to feel angry if this turns into a serious drought for which the industry is unprepared.