Could England run out of water?

The UK had one of its driest and hottest summers. Water reservoirs are running low. What does this mean for people’s drinking water? Should citizens be worried?

Words:

A reservoir is a large artificial lake where rainwater is stored before it is sent to people’s homes.

A drought is a long period with little or no rain, so the ground becomes very dry. A flash drought is a very short, but very intense drought.

Something exceptional is very unusual and more extreme than normal. 

Something severe is very serious, often in a negative way.

If you are urged to do something, someone is trying to convince you it’s very important to do.

When something is filled to the brim, it is completely full.

To replenish something means to fill it up again after it has become empty.

The water supplies are how much fresh water is stored or collected in a country.

Something prolonged last for a much longer time than usual. 

A disruption is when something stops working normally, often suddenly.

A standpipe is a metal pipe in the street that people can use to collect water when water cannot reach their homes.

Video:

Warming up

1. This video is about water reservoirs. A water reservoir is a place that holds fresh water that can be used by a country’s water system. What could happen if all the reservoirs in England were empty? Describe one consequence. Note: fresh water is water that’s not salty, like seawater.

2. The fresh water from a reservoir gets used for drinking water. But the water from a reservoir is not safe to drink yet. First, it gets treated. Look up online how water gets treated in the UK before it’s safe to drink. Write down at least one fact about this process.

Questions about the video

Watch until 01:14.

3. The presenter says the reservoir he is standing next to is ‘at a record low’. What does he mean?

A: It’s the deepest reservoir in the UK.

B: It has never been this empty.

C: It’s a very controversial topic in the UK.

D: It’s at the lowest point in the landscape.

4. Look at the map of England shown between 00:52 and 01:12. What is the difference between the areas in red, and the areas in brown?

5. Some people are interviewed at 01:14 in the video. They explain what they’re doing differently because of the drought. Name one example of what people are doing.

Watch from 01:14 to 04: 24.

6. Liz Bentley from the Royal Meteorological Society says the way this drought happened is a signal of climate change. What important detail does she point out?

7. Look at the summary of the the interview with Mark Rice from the Environment Agency. Fill in the missing phrases:

If we get below […] rainfall, we could be in a prolonged drought situation into next […]. That does not mean the public water […] will run out, but we will need to work together with water companies. I am […] we will not run out of water this winter. Our water resources are reduced, but they are not under […].

Task

Option 1: What tips would you give to save water? Write down inventive ways you can save water. Then design a social media advertisement that urges people to save water. Use this website for inspiration. You can use a program like Canva, or use paper, pencils and markers.

Option 2: Water reservoirs are very important for emergencies. In case of disasters, wars, or pandemics, access to clean drinking water is crucial. What other resources can you think of that are crucial to have in case of an emergency? Research and write down three resources countries need to prepare for emergencies. Then see what information you can find about what the Netherlands is doing to prepare for emergencies.

Van de makers van All Right!, Of Course! en Taalblokken Engels