Wessex reservoir levels and drought status
Reservoir storage in Wessex at the end of September 2026: Wessex Water reservoirs (all) about 28% and Bristol Water reservoirs (all) 44%. That is the latest figure the Environment Agency has published; it is 19 days old. Environment Agency drought status on 15 October 2026: Wessex: severe drought in parts (stage 3 of 3); drought elsewhere.
Covers Somerset, Dorset, Bristol, Bath and Wiltshire (Environment Agency Wessex area).
Reservoir figures
Figures for 30 September 2026 (19 days ago). Source: Environment Agency, Wessex water situation report: September 2026 (published 14 October 2026). Percentages are of total storage capacity.
| Reservoir | % full | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wessex Water reservoirs (all) | 28% about | Well below the same time in 1976, 1995 and 2025 |
| Bristol Water reservoirs (all) | 44% | Similar to 1995 |
Report: Wessex water situation report: September 2026 (PDF), Environment Agency.
Exceptionally low in the latest weekly report
In the week ending 13 October 2026 the Environment Agency classed these reservoirs in this area as exceptionally low for the time of year, the lowest of its bands:
- Clatworthy reservoir (Wessex Water)
- Chew Valley (Bristol Water)
Source: Dry weather and drought in England: 9 to 15 October 2026, published 16 October 2026.
Drought status
| Environment Agency area | Status |
|---|---|
| Wessex | Severe drought in parts (stage 3 of 3); drought elsewhere The 9 to 15 October 2026 report names parts of Wessex under severe drought but does not repeat Wessex in its list of areas in drought; the 2 to 8 October 2026 report listed Wessex as in drought. |
On 9 October 2026 Yorkshire moved into drought. On 15 October 2026 the government declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex.
Source: Dry weather and drought in England: 9 to 15 October 2026, published 16 October 2026 (3 days ago). Every area in England.
The Environment Agency manages drought in England in four stages after normal. Prolonged dry weather: an established period of low rainfall, river flows or groundwater for the time of year. Drought: prolonged low and notably low indicators, with stress on water supplies and possible restrictions on non-essential water use. Severe drought: exceptionally low indicators over a long period, with emergency measures possible. Recovery: indicators improving and returning towards normal. Natural Resources Wales uses the same stages for Wales. Water companies have their own drought levels and decide on hosepipe bans for their own areas.
Hosepipe bans and water company pages
Water companies decide on hosepipe bans for their own supply areas, which do not follow the area above. Companies that supply this area:
| Water company | Hosepipe ban in the Environment Agency's list? | Official pages |
|---|---|---|
| Wessex Water | Yes: whole company area |
Hosepipe ban page Reservoir levels / water resources |
| Bristol Water | Yes: whole company area |
Hosepipe ban page Reservoir levels / water resources |
"Yes" means the company is in the list of temporary use bans (hosepipe bans) in the Environment Agency's weekly report of 9 to 15 October 2026 (published 16 October 2026). A ban can cover only part of a company's area, and companies can start or lift one between reports, so check the company's own page. Links were checked when this page was built (18 October 2026).
Where these figures come from
Every figure on this page is copied from an official report, with the date it is for. The reports are PDFs and web pages, not data feeds, so the figures are typed in from each report and then checked automatically against the report's own text before the page is rebuilt. Nothing is estimated or forecast here.
- Wessex water situation report: September 2026, Environment Agency, published 14 October 2026. Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Dry weather and drought in England: 9 to 15 October 2026, Environment Agency, published 16 October 2026. Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Environment Agency). Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights reserved. SEPA's water scarcity report states no reuse licence, so this site shows only the level SEPA gives each area, with a link to the report.
What the numbers mean
- % full is the water held as a share of the reservoir's capacity. Reports use total, live (usable) or net capacity; each table says which when the report does. Figures for a "group" combine several linked reservoirs.
- Long-term average (LTA) is the usual level for the same time of year in the reservoir's past records. "Below normal", "notably low" and "exceptionally low" are the Environment Agency's bands against those records.
- Reservoir levels alone do not decide drought status or hosepipe bans: the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales also look at rainfall, river flows and groundwater, and each water company follows its own drought plan.
- Northern Ireland is not covered: we have not found an openly licensed NI Water or DAERA reservoir report to use. Scottish Water's reservoir levels are not linked because we did not find an official page for them.
Questions
What are reservoir levels in Wessex now?
Reservoir storage in Wessex at the end of September 2026: Wessex Water reservoirs (all) about 28% and Bristol Water reservoirs (all) 44%. This is from Environment Agency, Wessex water situation report: September 2026 (published 14 October 2026) and is 19 days old. The Environment Agency publishes these figures once a month.
Is Wessex in drought?
Environment Agency drought status on 15 October 2026: Wessex: severe drought in parts (stage 3 of 3); drought elsewhere.
Is there a hosepipe ban in Wessex?
The Environment Agency's report of 16 October 2026 lists a hosepipe ban (temporary use ban) at Wessex Water (whole company area) and Bristol Water (whole company area). Company supply areas do not follow these area boundaries, so check your own water company.
How often are these figures updated?
The Environment Agency publishes reservoir figures for each area once a month, usually around the middle of the following month, and a weekly drought report during dry periods. This page is rebuilt from those reports, and every figure shows the date it is for. Water companies often publish more recent levels on their own sites, linked on this page.
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