Why are parts of England and Wales falling into drought?

Sir John Armitt, former chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission, told Radio 4’s Today programme: “We need to invest long-term in new reservoirs, whether at a local level to support farmers or at a wider scale where water companies are allowed to build their own reservoirs.”

Governments have long resisted building new reservoirs on the grounds that other solutions could be found, but the extreme weather the UK has been experiencing recently has “really put people out”, he said.

No major reservoir has been completed in the UK since 1992, Sir John Cunliffe, the former deputy governor of the Bank of England, concluded in a review of the sector last year. “Small Investment” – Hold both the water industry and regulators accountable.

Sir John Armitt also said the industry needs to address spills and use.

“This has shown us all to try to reduce the amount we use, and if we go down to 100 liters per day to Danish standards, we can save the same amount.”

Average consumption per person in the UK is around 140 litres.

Water UK, which represents the industry, responded at the time, saying: “Everyone agrees the system is not working…fundamental change is long overdue.”

There are currently two reservoirs slated for completion in the 2036 and 2040s, and more may be approved.

In May of last year, the government said that by 2050 water companies are committed to bringing nine new water reservoirs.

They are located in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Kent, East Sussex and the West Midlands.

The government has stated that these reservoirs have the capacity to supply 670 million liters of additional water per day.

Additional reporting by Tom Ingham, Charlotte Hadfield and Ella Kipling.