The severe “flash drought” that has gripped England is pushing an already struggling water network toward breaking point — and it’s showing no sign of easing.
The situation is particularly dire in the southeast, where one of the wettest ever winters had replenished reservoirs and boreholes so much that they should have had enough water to get through summer. But now, water companies are trucking supplies around, seeking emergency restrictions and asking to keep drawing from environmentally protected rivers to keep the taps on.