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A drought has been declared across large parts of Wales, including Caerphilly County Borough following recent dry weather and high temperatures.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which made the announcement, confirmed the drought status would begin from Thursday, August 25.

The decision was made following a meeting of the Wales Drought Liaison Group, which looked at groundwater levels and low river flows as pressure grows on river levels and reservoirs.

All of south Wales and most of mid Wales is now officially in drought, with south west Wales having already been in drought for a number of days before this announcement.

NRW has said that while water supplies remain safe, people and businesses within the drought-hit areas should use water “wisely”.

According to NRW, south east Wales has seen just 26.3% of the monthly average rainfall.

Natalie Hall, Sustainable Water Manager at NRW, said the natural environment has been “placed under extreme pressure” due to the recent weather conditions.

She continued: “With little in the way of significant rainfall in the forecast, and with the impact the ongoing situation is having on the very ecosystems we all depend on, we have taken the decision to move the south east of Wales and parts of mid Wales into drought status from today.

“With south west Wales already in drought, we’re keeping a close eye on the situation in north Wales and the rest of mid Wales. We remain in regular contact with water companies, local authorities and other partners regarding any emerging impacts on the environment, agriculture, and water supplies right across Wales, and will not hesitate to take any further action as needed.”

Ms Hall explained that while there has been “much-needed” rain across Wales in recent days, it has not been enough to alleviate the impacts of the dry spell.

She said: “We will need a significant period of more prolonged rainfall to see the levels in our rivers and reservoirs replenished to the levels we need.”

“As climate change accelerates, summers in the UK are expected to become dryer, and extreme weather events will become more frequent and intense. While essential water replies remain safe, it’s crucial that everyone carefully considers how they use water over this exceptionally dry period.”