Officials are ordering Brits to stop rinsing dishes and take weak showers to help plug up the nation’s water crisis. The Environment Agency blamed drought conditions for the alarm
Brits are being urged to stop rinsing dishes and take weak showers to help plug up the nation’s water crisis.
Officials at the Environment Agency (EA) put the responsibility on consumers instead of blaming water bosses for leaking millions of litres a day while their chiefs rake in millions a year in pay.
They warned in a public service announcement we should “opt for a low-flow shower head” to conserve water.
Splashing out on installing a dual flush on toilets was also recommended, as was “avoiding pre-rinsing dishes” before they go into the dishwasher. When it comes to gardening, they said watering cans should be used instead of hoses or sprinkler systems.
Officials blame this year’s drought conditions for the alarm over water supplies. The Met Office declared the summer of 2025 the hottest since records began in 1884, while the spring was the driest in 132 years – leaving Britain’s reservoirs severely underfilled.
Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency’s director of water, warned: “Climate change and population growth are putting a tremendous strain on resources and this year’s drought is a stark reminder that we all need to be more mindful of our consumption.
“There is reason for optimism – we have the knowledge and technology to act on leakage and find new sources of water. But the next few years are critical. We need a concerted effort by water companies, regulators, the government, and society at large to work together to protect this precious resource.”
The EA added the current amount of water being taken out of rivers, lakes and groundwaters is not sustainable. It said it is also calling on water companies and regulators to “play their part to use our water wisely”.
Under the Environment Act, a target is in place to reduce the use of public water supply per person by 20% by the end of March 2038.
EA bosses admitted the amount of supplies lost by water companies before reaching customers’ taps is still too high at around 19%. They said the industry has committed to reducing leakage by half by 2050, compared to 2017/’18 levels.
Water bills are set to soar by 30% and hosepipe bans may be on the way as part of the drive to sort out Britain’s creaking system.
As well as investing in new pipes to cut leakage, the industry has committed to building nine new reservoirs before 2050, alongside other new supply schemes.
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