ISTANBUL

England could face its most severe drought in decades next year, prompting the government and water companies to prepare emergency measures that go beyond hosepipe bans, according to a report by The Guardian on Saturday.

Executives from one major water company told the newspaper they were “extremely concerned” about the prospect of another dry winter, with the country’s national meteorological service forecasting lower-than-average rainfall. If the trend continues, they warned, drastic restrictions on water use could be imposed.

While much of England was already in drought this summer, rainfall from the previous year had buffered the impact by keeping reservoirs and groundwater reserves relatively full.

But months of record dry weather have depleted those stores, and recent average rainfall has not been enough to replenish them.

National reservoir storage levels have dropped to about 63%, well below the seasonal average of 76%, with some reservoirs in southern England below 30%, report says.

Groundwater replenishment, a slower process than refilling reservoirs, remains worryingly low.

In parts of southern England, local utilities have applied for new restrictions on business water use, including bans on activities such as washing buildings or filling pools.

Alastair Chisholm, policy director at the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, told The Guardian that a second consecutive dry winter “is when things start to get serious” in the UK.

Without sustained rainfall through winter and spring, he warned, England faces more drought orders, tighter restrictions, and further strain on rivers and water supplies.

The report noted that England’s long-term water security is increasingly fragile due to its growing population, hotter summers, and the lack of new reservoir construction — none have been built in over three decades. Experts said the country’s dependence on regular rainfall is no longer sustainable.