“Great British weather” is the motto of many British every time it rains. But this, year after year, changes dramatically. Climate change has caused perhaps the longest drought in the country’s history this year.

In July this year, Lincolnshire recorded a new heat record of 40.3 degrees Celsius, while for several days the temperature in many parts of the country has exceeded 30 degrees.

Thames is missing

Characteristic images of the situation were recorded throughout the UK. Now you need to walk more than 15 kilometers from the stationary source of the Thames to finally find water and see how the country’s second largest river flows. Alisdair Knowles of the Rivers Trust told The Independent that “the idea that in the UK one could walk several miles upriver, kicking up dusty rocks, is shocking”.

Yesterday 8 out of 14 regions of England have been officially declared dry. while two more are expected to enter the list later in August. The decision was made after a meeting of the “National Drought Group”, which was created with the cooperation of the government and various bodies such as water companies and the National Farmers Union.

Among the high alert areas is London, which is expected to implement lockdowns in the coming days. So far, small but troubling steps are being taken, with the biggest problem emerging in south and north London. In these areas, water pressure is particularly low, which is why it was instructed to use bottled rather than tap water.

The chain problem of drought

Many large supermarkets have already taken their own precautions: “Water bottles are limited, only 5 allowed per customer.” As expected, the number of fires also increased, with hundreds of small outbreaks reported, with the fire department describing the phenomenon as “unprecedented”. July has been the driest month in the UK since 1935, so fires happen more easily. Three of the country’s largest supermarkets (Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer) have removed disposable barbecue utensils from their shelves to reduce the risk of fire.

Farmers also face the problem. Crop losses due to lack of water range from 10% to 50%, as some areas are not even allowed to irrigate their fields. National Farmers Union Vice President Tom Bratso urged ministers to “give priority to food production as feeding people is vital.”

And while people risk a £1,000 fine for using a watering can, and it’s generally recommended to keep your bath time down to 4 minutes, water companies are under fire for poor water pipe maintenance. It is estimated that 3 billion liters of water are lost daily in the UK due to leaks, representing between 20% and 24% of the total water supply.

The Metropolitan Police issued a yellow alert on Saturday for Monday’s thunderstorms, but the drought is generally expected to last into the fall, with environmental groups voicing concern even into the winter.

Source: DV