Reservoirs drop as fires burn across the region. West Midlands drought wreaks havoc as water levels fall.
Byline: STAFF REPORTERSEVERN Trent Water's reservoir levels have dropped to their lowest point since November 2025.
It comes as Birmingham and the West Midlands was declared to be in drought conditions last week after record low rainfall and exceptionally high temperatures.
Half of England was declared in drought and the Environment Agency has begun controlling how much water can be taken from rivers and groundwaters.
It follows hosepipe bans for other areas after three heatwaves so far in the UK this summer.
And while Severn Trent has not issued a ban yet, it has repeatedly been warning customers to use water mindfully.
Recent warnings from the company asked people to try and use watering cans rather than hosepipes where possible after July saw just seven per cent of expected rainfall, falling to one per cent across southern England.
Storage levels at Severn Trent's reservoirs have dropped to their lowest point since November 2025.
Stocks stand at 71.4 per cent - down three per cent on last week.
Current reserves are at 176,850 million litres, far below the company's total capacity of 247,708 million litres.
Birmingham gets its tap water from the Elan Valley in Mid Wales.
Helen Wakeham, director of water at the Agency and chair of the National Drought Group, said: ""he hot and dry weather means we are using water faster than nature can replenish it.
"A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife and the economy.
"We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated during the hot weather but every drop we can save is a drop more for nature and agriculture."
T" he higher temperatures also mean water is evaporating from soils and vegetation, making wilfires more likely.
West Midlands Fire Service has seen an increase in callouts to grass fires over the last few weeks.
A large fire erupted at Barr Beacon nature reserve in Birmingham at the weekend. The Beacon nature reserve, which has a war memorial and is one of the highest points in the West Midlands, saw eight crews and around 40 firefighters called to the scene.
Another fire started in Kingfisher Park in Hay Mills. Both followed massive fire damage to Perry Halls playing fields in Perry Barr.
Four other fires were also started deliberately during 48-hours of chaotic scenes.
The arson-related blazes in Birmingham, Solihull, Walsall and Coventry happened between last t hursday and Saturday. Fire chiefs warned that those who start blazes "could get a criminal record, which could prevent you from travelling or getting certain jobs in the future, and destroy an area where you live".
The four recent fires which are being treated as arson were: | Meriden Park, Chelmsley Wood, Saturday, August 1 | Chesterfield Road, West Heath, Birmingham, Saturday, August 1 | Pelsall Common, Walsall, Thursday, July 30 | Prologis Park, Coventry, Thursday, July 30.
Area Commander Steve Ball for West Midlands Fire Service said: "It's hugely frustrating that, in a busy period where our crews are responding to threats to life from accidental fires, we're also seeing deliberately set fires, including in grasslands."
CAPTION(S):
Water levels have plummeted at Edgbaston Reservoir, reminiscent of the famous drought in 1976, below
Burnt land at Barr Beacon, and right, a fire at Perry Barr playing fields fire
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| Author: | STAFF REPORTER |
|---|---|
| Publication: | The Birmingham Post (England) |
| Geographic Code: | 4EUUK |
| Date: | Aug 6, 2026 |
| Words: | 549 |
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