Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales are under drought conditions, with repeated heatwaves leaving water supplies under strain.<\/p>\n
Both England and Wales provisionally recorded their driest July on record. This lack of rainfall – on top of hot, dry weather in spring and early summer – has begun to take its toll on rivers, crops and nature.<\/p>\n
Wessex Water has become the latest water provider to announce a hosepipe ban – the company's first for 50 years – taking the total number of people under such a measure to nearly 30 million.<\/p>\n
So how is your area doing and are you in a drought?<\/p>\n
There is no single definition of drought, but it is characterised by a period of low rainfall. As the ground dries out, crops and vegetation can begin to struggle.<\/p>\n
If dry conditions persist, rivers, reservoirs and groundwater levels can also fall, putting pressure on water supplies.<\/p>\n
Environmental bodies in each UK nation decide whether to declare drought or water scarcity by assessing current water resources alongside weather forecasts.<\/p>\n
Both drought and water scarcity can lead to hosepipe bans, if they are not already in place.<\/p>\n
While drought is driven by prolonged dry weather, water scarcity occurs when demand for water outstrips the available supply. This summer, restrictions have been introduced in some areas to help manage high demand.<\/p>\n
But while recent months have seen temperatures regularly exceed 35C, winter was much wetter than usual.<\/p>\n
It has raised questions about how effectively water resources are being managed, and whether the UK is prepared for the drier summers expected with climate change.<\/p>\n
So far, ten UK water companies have announced hosepipe bans. This means hosepipes cannot be used for watering gardens, washing vehicles and windows, and filling pools.<\/p>\n
Nine companies are spread across central, southern and eastern parts of England, and one is in Wales.<\/p>\n
In England, nearly three-quarters of the country is now in drought, according to the Environment Agency (EA). Northern parts of England are in "prolonged dry weather" – the category below drought.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, the whole of Wales is in drought, with Natural Resources Wales saying sustained high temperatures were causing the condition of the natural environment to "deteriorate".<\/p>\n