The Environment Agency have published an article called “Protecting our precious chalk streams” in which Pete Fox, Director of Water, Land and Biodiversity at the Environment Agency, states:

“Between May 2018 and May 2019 parts of the South East of England received 30% less rain than normal… There is also no doubt that it is having a devastating effect on our chalk streams.”

Despite some heavy rain and flooding in parts of the country, here in Cambridgeshire we received less than average rainfall over the 2018-19 winter period, when recharge is made to the chalk aquifer storage.

We have been monitoring the situation for some time, and there are no risks to water resources in the immediate future with our current forecasts, but we are very conscious of the impact of the lack of rainfall, particularly the impact on our local chalk streams.

We do not want to impose water restrictions on our customers but another drier than average winter will increase the chance of restrictions being required in 2020-21.

Pete Fox, Director of Water, Land and Biodiversity at the Environment Agency, continued:

“English chalk streams are one of the most precious and beautiful things in the natural world. They are known for their clear waters, rich wildlife and for providing a beautiful place for people to enjoy… By using less and looking after what we have, we will be able to prevent even more devastating droughts in future and ensure that we have clean and plentiful water for generations to come. But we will only achieve this if everyone takes action now.”

We continue to encourage everyone to use less water by following our water-saving tips and be mindful of wastage. We are also aware of our own role in saving water and are ensuring that we continue to reduce leakage from our networks.

Posted: 4 October 2019