Plans for ensuring the resilience of the water sector during summer heatwaves have been laid out by a minister.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) minister for water and flooding Emma Hardy explained the actions the government is taking “ to strengthen water company resilience” in a statement on 16 July.

She highlighted how she had brought together senior leaders from the water companies on 2 July to review their responses to extreme heat and to assess their preparedness for the rest of the summer.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Hardy said: “This year has already been challenging for water supplies. Some parts of the country have received lower than average rainfall this spring, such as the Anglian region where only 39% of expected rainfall fell.

“Combined with record spring temperatures, this has reduced reservoir and groundwater storage and river flows across a number of regions.

“Alongside recent heatwaves, water companies have increased supply to meet rising demand. During the Met Office Red Heat Warning, Thames Water supplied an additional 316M litres of water per day compared with the previous year, while Anglian Water increased production by up to 30%, equivalent to supplying a county the size of Lincolnshire.

“Despite these pressures and some localised supply interruptions, the sector avoided widespread disruption and maintained supplies to the vast majority of customers.”

She also noted that hosepipe bans – formally called temporary use bans (TUBs) – had been brought in by numerous water companies to manage demand.

“TUBs are currently in place for South East Water customers in Kent, Southern Water customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, South West Water customers in Mid Devon and parts of East Devon, and across the Anglian Water region,” she said.

“Cambridge Water and Affinity Water have also announced TUBs which will come into force shortly. Such measures can help manage demand and protect supplies during periods of sustained pressure.”

She added that the government would “maintain close oversight of water sector resilience throughout the summer”, and her officials are monitoring “water resource availability, infrastructure resilience and incident preparedness”.

In addition to fines already given to water companies, found to have failed to deliver for customers and plans to enhance water company accountability, Hardy said the government will also “introduce statutory resilience standards, improve asset mapping and strengthen oversight of critical infrastructure to help water companies prepare for climate change and more frequent periods of extreme heat.”

Responding to the minister’s statement, GHD technical director (water) Graham Bateman told NCE: “The pressures outlined in the ministerial statement reveal how quickly prolonged heat, low rainfall, and increased demand can strain parts of England’s water system. Temporary restrictions and effective incident management are necessary short-term responses, but they do not resolve the fundamental, long-term supply issues.

“The emphasis on resilience standards and enhanced oversight is positive, yet resilience also depends on diversifying water sources. Water reuse/recycling should be considered alongside reservoirs, water transfers, desalination, and demand management. Not as a universal fix, but as a viable option for regions facing persistent water stress.”

There are nine desalination plants planned or already in operation in England, with six of those in the South East of England alone.

Bateman continued: “The industry already recognises that population growth, climate change, and environmental limits will heighten pressure on rainfall-dependent supplies. The minister stated that the ‘government is delivering the long-term reforms needed to build a stronger and more resilient water sector’.

“It is essential to make strategic decisions and build public trust now. An adaptive planning approach to investment in rainfall-independent sources will be key to providing the necessary resilience. Delaying action until a severe drought or supply failure occurs risks turning long-term planning into costly, reactive measures.”

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