It’s no secret that we’ve had one of the hottest summers on record in the UK in 2026. In fact, the Met Office has announced that this has provisionally been the hottest summer on record, as well as one of the sunniest.
Of course, the hot weather also meant we had a very dry summer, with England recording the driest July on record in 2026. However, the picture changed somewhat in August.
Although many parts of the south of England experienced very little rainfall in August, the Midlands, parts of the north of England and some areas in Scotland experienced closer to average levels of rainfall.
Now that the summer is turning to autumn though, there is talk about what the winter holds, which has brought concerns over just how wet and stormy the coming months could be.
Why could the UK be in for a wet winter?
The World Meteorological Organization announced that El Niño is “firmly established” in the Pacific Ocean earlier this month.
Despite forming on the other side of the world, El Niño conditions affect global weather systems and typically causes more extreme weather. What’s more, El Niño conditions are forecast to continue well into 2027, which means there could be a prolonged impact on the world’s weather.
In the past, strong El Niño conditions have led to wetter and stormier conditions for the UK and other parts of north-western Europe. As a result, the Met Office is advising people to brace for potential disruption due to storms and the associated damage they can cause.
Is a wet winter good after a dry summer?
As of mid-September, the Environment Agency reported that ten regions in England still hold “drought” status, with reservoir storage nationally hovering at just over 50 per cent.
This is considered approximately 20 per cent lower than reservoir levels are usually expected to be at this point in the year, which is why many parts of the country are still subject to temporary use bans.
None of England’s regions are considered to have normal water supplies at present, with those that are not in drought instead labelled as experiencing a prolonged dry period. All of this highlights how strained our water supplies are as we move towards winter.
With that in mind, you may think that a wet winter will be useful. However, high levels of rainfall on already dry ground can cause flash flooding. What’s more, the storms expected to hit due to El Niño are predicted to be strong, which means the likelihood of disruption is higher than normal.
Speaking to the Guardian earlier this month, Angela Eagle, the current Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said that the UK should plan for some level of disruption and that all of us should make sure we have stores of food and water in our homes.
She also talked about the steps the government is taking to help make the UK more resilient in the face of the climate crisis, including by building the first new reservoir since 1992.
Extreme weather can affect all of our essential services and utilities, so it is important to plan ahead for potential disruption.
What should businesses do to prepare for potential water supply disruption?
There are several actions your business can take to not only prepare for potential disruption, but to help ensure your company can still operate in the face of supply shortages in the future.
Understand your water usage with a water audit
It’s impossible to optimise what you can’t see, so make sure you understand how water is used in your business. Carrying out a water audit can be a useful exercise to not only see how much water you are using, but where that water is used.
When we carry out a business water audit, we focus on five main areas:
- Your water bills
- Your water use
- Your water infrastructure
- Your water supply
- Your water drainage
Each of these elements has an effect on the resilience of your water supply, not to mention on how much you are paying for this utility.
The main advantage of a water audit is that it quickly highlights where you are wasting water, allowing you to take action to reduce your water use and, in the process, your bills.
Make water savings where you can
Reducing your water use is one of the quickest ways to reduce your water bills as a business, but it also has the benefit of making your organisation more resilient. If you need less water to operate, you can therefore continue even when water supplies are strained.
Upgrading to water-efficient equipment may be appropriate in some circumstances, while encouraging behaviour change among your employees could work better in others.
The water audit will uncover the weak spots in your water supply and help you plug the gaps.
Create contingency plans for disruption
There is no sense in pretending that disruption won’t happen. It is far better to consider the potential issue and come up with a contingency plan than to be left scrambling for a solution should water supplies be disrupted, either this winter or further into the future.
As part of your water audit, make a note of which aspects of your business operations need a steady water supply to function. Which of these are essential to your work, and which could potentially take a back seat if needed?
Knowing this will allow you to make informed decisions should you need to reduce your water use further on short notice.
Consider whether there are any alternative water supplies you could access too. This might be by collecting and storing water on your own premises, such as with rainwater storage, or it could be having alternative water suppliers on hand to contact if you need to.
Unlike residential customers who are tied to a specific water supplier, businesses are allowed to switch their water supplier. Remember this and explore how it could be helpful should your organisation face serious disruption to its water supplies.
