Surrey and parts of Hampshire have officially entered drought, the Environment Agency has announced.

Today (Wednesday, July 29), the agency declared seven areas of England in drought following weeks of exceptionally hot, dry weather.

The announcement comes after July recorded just seven per cent of its average rainfall across England, falling to as little as one per cent in parts of southern England. Meteorologists warned there is little sign of the sustained rainfall needed to improve the situation.

The declaration places the Thames Valley and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight operational areas as officially in drought, while the rest of the Solent & South Downs remains in prolonged dry weather.

The Environment Agency said rivers are running low, farmers are harvesting crops early, wildfire risk is increasing and millions of people are already living under restrictions on water use.

Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency's director of water and chair of the National Drought Group, said: "The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it.

"A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife and the economy.

"We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated during the hot weather but every drop we can save is a drop more for nature and agriculture."

The Environment Agency said this is the third drought to affect England in the past five years, following previous droughts in 2022 and 2025.

Although a wet winter replenished reservoirs and groundwater, three heatwaves and a prolonged spell of hot, dry weather have rapidly depleted water supplies. A fourth heatwave is now under way.

Across England, 78 per cent of rivers are below normal levels or lower, while reservoir storage has fallen to 75.3 percent, 7.4 percent below the long-term average for the time of year. Some parts of Hampshire have now gone 49 days without measurable rainfall.

Seven water companies, including Thames Water, Southern Water and South East Water, have introduced temporary use bans affecting around 23 million customers across England.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said: "Our climate is changing, droughts are becoming increasingly common, and we need to be prepared for this new normal.

"We're delivering long-term change in the water industry and driving record investments in infrastructure, including nine new reservoirs.

"We expect water companies to follow their drought plans, to go further and faster to reduce leaks, and to ensure supplies are not disrupted even in the driest of weather."

Residents are being urged to use water sparingly by taking shorter showers, turning off taps while brushing their teeth and fixing leaking toilets to help protect supplies until significant rainfall returns.