The headwaters of the Thames have dried up during the drought, with river experts saying it is the first time they have seen it happen, as forecasters warn of further high temperatures.
The source of the river has moved from its official starting point outside Cirencester during the ongoing dry weather and is now more than 5 miles (8 km) downstream.
Dr Rob Collins, director of policy and science at the Rivers Trust, said: “Following prolonged dry weather, the headwaters of the Thames in Gloucestershire have dried up, with the weak flow now only noticeable more than 5 miles downstream (at Somerford Keynes) .
“With our changing climate, we can expect the frequency and severity of such periods of drought and water scarcity to increase, with increasing competition for dwindling resources and devastating impacts on aquatic life.”
The Met Office said on Thursday that the heatwave and dry weather showed no sign of abating, with little rain forecast for next week and temperatures that could climb into the mid-30s.
The Met Office’s chief forecaster, Steve Willington, said: “Many areas of the UK, particularly in the south, will see temperatures a few degrees above average, but these are likely to be well below the record temperatures we saw in middle of July.
“As high pressure builds in, there is very little significant rain in the forecast, particularly in those areas of southern England where there were very dry conditions last month.”
Even when the source of the Thames is displaced during dry weather, Thames Water has not imposed restrictions on water use, such as banning the use of hoses. Instead, it asks consumers to be judicious with their tap water by doing things like turning off the tap while brushing their teeth. Government sources revealed on Wednesday that they are disappointed that water companies are not introducing hosepipe bans.
Thames Water has warned that a ban could be introduced. The supplier began the first stage of its “drought plan” in May, but warned that the next phase would be to implement a temporary ban on use, including hoses.
A spokesman said: “The timing will depend on the amount of water used by our customers, which determines the rate at which reservoir storage declines, and the amount of flow in the rivers, which determines how much water we can take to refill them. “
Collins said water needs to be used more efficiently in homes and businesses by implementing nationwide metering and reducing leaks in our supply networks.
He added: “Implementing nature-based solutions that retain water – storing it and slowly releasing it into rivers when they need it most – [means] we can become more resilient to this changing climate by ensuring sufficient future water supplies for both people and wildlife.
Thames Water came under fire on Wednesday for reportedly shutting down a £250m desalination plant commissioned 12 years ago to boost drinking supplies during long dry spells.
The Thames Water plant in Becton, east London, opened in 2010 with plans to supply up to 1 million people in emergencies, but that ambition was scaled back due to doubts about when the facility could start operating.
Despite July’s heat wave and the driest eight-month period since 1976, the Beckton plant won’t begin supplying potable water until next year at the earliest.
Met Office statistics showed that July this year was England’s driest July since 1935 and the driest July on record for East Anglia, South East and South England.
The British Center for Ecology and Hydrology has shown how much of the country is at risk of drought. East Anglia and Kent show the worst category, ‘extremely dry’, and the Home Counties and Devon are ranked ‘very dry’.
Cornwall, Central England, North Wales, East Scotland and parts of the North East have had a “moderately dry” six months, but this could change if below average rainfall continues.
South East Water this week announced that Kent and Sussex will be under a hose ban from August 12 until further notice, with a £1,000 fine for those found to be breaking the rules. Last week Southern Water said Hampshire and the Isle of Wight would be subject to similar measures from Friday.
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