LONDON, U.K. - Britain is suffering its worst drought for more than 30 years, with the likelihood of families facing hosepipe bans "ever increasing".Conditions are almost as bad as the drought of 1976, which saw rivers run dry, standpipes in the street and farmland ruined, the Environment Agency warned yesterday.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has called a crisis meeting next week for water companies, farmers and wildlife groups to plan how to keep the taps running.
It comes amid fears half of homes could face water restrictions this spring and summer after chronically low rainfall across the East, South-East and Midlands.
- Despite a wet winter for much of northern England, large swathes of the rest of the country have had very low rainfall almost every month for the past two years. The Environment Agency said the "highly exceptional" lack of rain has caused several rivers and streams to completely dry up — with volunteers drafted in to help move fish to alternative waters.
- Trevor Bishop, its head of resources, said: "We are reaching the end of a second consecutive dry winter, and the situation is getting quite serious."
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