As drought in the UK gets more and more common, what impact will this have on our cities? How can we prepare for it?

Drought and Climate Change in the UK

Historically, drought has not been an uncommon occurrence in the UK’s weather system, happening every 5 to 10 years with memorable events such as the drought of 1976 or more recently in 2022. However, climate change is making droughts not only more common, but longer and more severe. Two UK regions have already entered drought status this year, with three more regions currently in prolonged dry status. By 2050, the Environment Agency predicts there will be 10-15% less water available due to a reduction in precipitation throughout the year. In the South East of England alone it is expected that an extra 1 billion litres of water per day will need to be found to meet demand. This is partially due to increased population pressure – but also because of a lack of water security due to more frequent droughts.

What impact can drought have on our buildings and cities?

Impacts on buildings

In areas with clay soil, prolonged drought can cause the soil to dry out and this can lead to soil shrinkage. When the soil shrinks, this can lead to subsidence. This is an expensive problem for existing homes and businesses, as well as significant utility infrastructure. Drought can also make other climate change impacts worse. For example, it can increase the risk of wildfire, which in turn can lead to significant damage and even destruction of homes. And on the other hand, drought can make the earth less able to soak up rain water and make surface flooding more likely.
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