Nearly three-quarters of England was officially in drought in mid-August, prompting calls from the civil engineering sector for greater investment in water resilience. “These conditions have significantly increased pressure on water resources in some parts of the country and contributed to the ongoing drought concerns.” At the time of writing, eight water companies imposed Temporary Use Bans in parts of their supply areas in total, affecting customers of Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Essex & Suffolk Water, Southern Water, South East Water, Thames Water and South West Water. Environment Agency strategic drought lead and NDG chair Tony Grayling said: “Drought conditions are worsening and will continue to do so until we see significant and sustained rainfall. We are also delivering long-term change in the water industry to reduce leaks and deliver nine new reservoirs and water transfer schemes to secure supplies.”