Drought Declared in West Midlands After Prolonged Heat and Dry Weather

A drought has been officially declared in the West Midlands following months of exceptionally low rainfall and rising temperatures. Dry weather continues to impact water resources across England requiring water companies to take action to manage demand with the public being urged to use water wisely: More areas of country move into drought with dry weather set to continue - GOV.UKLink opens in a new window

National Drought Group steps up operational response and asks people to play their part in managing the drought and use water wisely. Helen Wakeham, Environment Agency Director for Water and National Drought Group chair, said:   ‘This has been the driest start to the year since 1976, and we need to make sure our water supplies can sustain us through the summer.’

Water at Risk in the West Midlands — And We’re Responding.

With the recent news that a drought has been declared in the West Midlands, we are continuing to take meaningful steps to save water on campus.

Our water-saving initiatives

Our Gardens team is installing a new rainwater harvesting system at the Grounds and Gardens compound. Gutters will feed a large storage tank so recycled water can be used to irrigate borders and containers across campus. In parallel, we are introducing bedding schemes planted with semi‑succulent and Mediterranean species that naturally require less water. The weather is closely monitored and irrigation only occurs when necessary. For example, last month, we skipped watering entirely due to a forecast of regular rainfall, and we will continue with only minimal watering when truly needed.

If you live on campus, you can help by:

• Using water bottle refill stations so you don’t run the tap waiting for it to get cold—a small step with big impact.
• Turning taps off when not in use.
• Take shorter showers
• Washing dishes using a bowl instead of letting the tap run.
• Reporting any leaks immediately through Estates Service Desk.Link opens in a new window

• Keep a reusable bottle handy and refill it at Refill Scheme locations
• Avoid leaving taps running; fix leaks as soon as you spot them.
• Consider installing a water butt to capture rainwater for garden use.
• Save water by using a bucket to wash your car, watering the garden during cooler hours, and running dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads.

Your role is just as vital as ours. Together we can protect water resources for our community and environment.