Thames Water says its region has reached 100 days of drought after months of exceptionally dry weather.
The Environment Agency declared drought in London and the Thames Valley on 29 July.
Between 1 March and 30 September 2026, Thames Water’s region received 34 percent of the rainfall recorded during the same period in 2024.
Recent rain has helped some rivers and reservoirs recover, but Thames Water says months of sustained rainfall are still needed to rebuild supplies.
From 1 August to 31 October 2026, the region received 80.8 percent of its long-term average rainfall, compared with 156.8 percent during the same period in 2024, a non-drought year.
Many groundwater sites remain below normal across the catchment area.
Thames Water continues to urge customers to use water wisely as the country heads into the colder months.
Tips on how to save money on energy and water bills are available on the Thames Water website.
The company says it has also been keeping up its leakage repair activity, fixing more than 1,000 leaks every week, around 20 per cent more than normal, with the company increasing the number of people out finding and resolving leaks by 18 per cent compared to last year.
A Temporary Use Ban remains in place for all Thames Water customers. Cooler weather does not mean the drought is over, and restrictions will only lift when substantial rainfall replenishes supplies and conditions allow.
Thames Water continues to monitor rivers, groundwater, reservoirs and demand.
Julie Morton, Head of Water Resources at Thames Water, said: “It’s one hundred days since the Environment Agency declared drought and we have faced one of our most challenging summers in recent memory.
"Record-breaking dry weather and five heatwaves have put significant strain on water resources in our region.
“The recent rain has been welcome, however, recovery from a drought that developed over many months will take time, particularly when the ground is so dry.
“The forecast looks relatively dry for the first half of November, and we need sustained rainfall through the autumn and winter to replenish water resources ahead of next spring and summer.
"We’re grateful to our customers for continuing to use water carefully while our teams work to protect supplies and the environment.” ?
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