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Thames Water updates on drought response, reservoir levels and leakage action

Thames Water updates on drought response, reservoir levels and leakage action

A person fills their watering can from a water butt

Latest update on water resources, drought response and leakage activity across the Thames Water region.

As drought conditions continue across London and the Thames Valley, Thames Water is investing to protect supplies, reduce demand and tackle leakage. We thank our customers for efforts they have made to save water, and we are asking them to keep following the Temporary Use Ban, using only what they need.

Thames Water statement

Martin Padley, Water Director at Thames Water, said: “We’re grateful to everyone who has already reduced their water use during this prolonged dry spell. The action customers are taking is making a real difference, helping to protect supplies for homes, businesses, local wildlife and the environment.

“With reservoir levels below where we would expect them to be for this time of year, and demand remaining high, we’re asking customers to keep going and continue using only what they need. Small changes, such as taking shorter showers, turning off taps and avoiding non-essential water use outdoors, all help reduce pressure on our network while our teams continue working around the clock to find and fix leaks.”

Latest water resources position - end of July 2026

  • At the end of July 2026:
    • London reservoir storage was 74%, which is lower than we would expect for this time of year.
    • Farmoor Reservoir was 92% full
  • Thames Catchment rainfall during July saw <1mm of rainfall, 2% of the long-term average.
  • Since March, rainfall has been around 40% of the long-term average (LTA).
  • During July’s hot weather, customers across London and the Thames Valley used around 100 million litres more water every day than normal, adding further pressure to rivers, reservoirs and the water network.
  • Thames Water remains at Drought Event Level 2, with a Temporary Use Ban (hosepipe ban) in place to help protect essential water supplies. The Temporary Use Ban restrictions came into effect 23 July. Thames Water is continuing to monitor water resources across its region, alongside weather conditions and customer demands.  
  • Since the hosepipe ban was introduced household demand has fallen by around 3% across London and more than 6% across the Thames Valley and Home Counties .
  • Groundwater levels were normal and below normal in Swindon and Oxfordshire at the end of July 2026. They were mostly normal across the rest of the region. View our latest groundwater levels.
  • River flows are below average.
  • Soils are drier than average across the catchment at the end of July 2026.

Further information can be viewed here: Reservoir levels

Leakage and network upgrades

Despite exceptionally dry ground conditions increasing pressure on buried pipes, Thames Water has significantly increased its leakage response activity:

  • Thames Water is currently fixing more than 1,000 leaks every week, around 20% more than normal, and has increased frontline leakage teams by 18% compared with last year.
  • Thames Water understands it can be frustrating to see visible leaks while customers are being asked to save water. Around 95% of water lost through leakage comes from leaks hidden underground, which is why teams prioritise finding and fixing the leaks that have the biggest impact on customers and water supplies.
  • Since the start of the 2026/27 financial year, Thames Water has found and fixed 30% more leaks than during the same period last year.
  • In July alone, teams found 88% more leaks than in July 2025.
  • Thames Water spends more than 50,000 hours every month locating and repairing leaks.
  • Thames Water has the largest leakage detection field force in the industry. More than 75,000 acoustic sensors, alongside AI and satellite technology, are helping teams find hidden leaks faster across the network.
  • Since April 2025, Thames Water has replaced more than 100km of ageing water mains as part of the company's biggest upgrade to its network in 150 years.
  • Leakage performance remains 15.1% lower than the 2019/20 baseline. 

Why this Matters

The combination of prolonged dry weather, record demand and exceptionally dry ground conditions is increasing the likelihood of leaks and bursts across the network. Thames Water is increasing leakage detection, accelerating repairs and investing £3.3 billion between 2025 and 2030 to help reduce leakage and improve long-term resilience.