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A ‘drought liaison group’ has started meeting to plan ahead for the summer, Wales’ climate change minister has confirmed.

The group, which is made up of water companies, Natural Resources Wales, the Met Office and others, is planning for ‘all weather scenarios’.

Minister Julie James made the announcement in the Senedd on Thursday May 18 and urged people to think about their own water usage as we head into summer.

Between March and September last year, Wales received just 64% of the average rainfall for that period, putting water supplies under pressure and leading to a drought being declared.

This year, a drier than average February was followed by the wettest March in 40 years, with Wales experiencing double the long-term average rainfall.

This has been good news for reservoirs, rivers and groundwater supply, with stocks replenished.

However, the drought liaison group has said this doesn’t mean problems won’t arise in the near future – with climate change causing weather to become more unpredictable, with wetter winters, drier summers, rising sea levels and more extreme weather events.

Speaking in the Senedd during ‘Water Saving Week‘, Ms James said: “Making small adjustments can make a big difference.

“Reducing shower time by a minute, turning the tap off when you brush your teeth and not letting the tap run when you wash your dishes, are great starts.

“If we use less, we will reduce the energy used for water supply and wastewater treatment, which will help reduce our carbon footprint and make us more resilient to climate change.”

She continued: “Thanks to the wettest March in 40 years, the drought status in Wales is normal. However, as we have seen all too often in the past, the vagaries of the weather and climate impacts mean that conditions can change rapidly.”