As a third of Britain’s reservoirs remain worrisomely low after a summer of drought throughout most of the nation, water providers may limit how much water can be withdrawn from rivers and introduce additional restrictions.
During many weeks of dry and hot weather, reservoir levels throughout the UK fell well below average.
This summer saw frequent readings over 30°C and a high of 40°C, the hottest day ever recorded in Britain.
The previous two weeks have seen widespread heavy rain, but it has not been sufficient to refill reservoirs to their typical levels.
Only two of the 31 important reservoirs are at normal levels, according to a document that was leaked, The Times said.
Reservoirs remain at exceptionally low levels despite heavy rain in recent weeks. Pictured: Ardingly reservoir in Sussex in August
The earth around many of them remains hard and cracked following record-breaking temperatures this summer
The minutes of a National Drought Group meeting showed that South West Water, Southern Water, Yorkshire Water, South East Water, Severn Trent Water and Thames Water were all preparing to apply for drought permits.
The permits, given by the Environment Agency, allow water companies more control over rivers and the amount of water that can be taken out of them.
Alongside hose pipe bans throughout much of the country, more restrictions on water use could soon be introduced, including car washing, cleaning non-domestic buildings and filling up public swimming pools.
However, water companies have for the moment stepped away from introducing such serious measures.
Reservoirs and rivers all but dried up in July as Britain endured its most intense ever heatwave.
Wayoh Reservoir in Entwistle, Bolton, which is normally filled with 500 million gallons of water and supplies around 50 per cent of the drinking water to Bolton, ran bone dry amid arid conditions.
Near the village of West End, near Harrogate, Yorkshire, the Thruscross reservoir was also badly affected.
Visitors were able to walk across the dry bank of the usually-full reservoir.
It is not clear how many weeks it will take the reservoirs to recover, despite persistent rain in many parts of the UK in the last few weeks.
Wayoh Reservoir in Entwistle, Bolton, which is normally filled with 500 million gallons of water, ran bone dry this summer
Visitors could walk across most of Thruscross reservoir in Harrogate after most of the basin was baked dry by the sun.