Scotland’s Dry Spell: Is the Country Ready for a Drought Crisis?

Scotland is facing an unusually long stretch of dry weather that’s raising eyebrows across the country. With rivers running low and reservoirs shrinking, questions are mounting about whether Scotland is ready to handle a drought—something that, until recently, seemed more of a worry for sunnier parts of the world.

The Weather That Wouldn’t Quit: What’s Behind This Dry Spell?

You might have noticed the sun sticking around more than usual lately. That’s no coincidence. Since late February, a stubborn high-pressure system has parked itself over Scotland, blocking the usual rain clouds and keeping the skies clear. Meteorologists call this a “blocking high,” and it basically acts like a traffic jam for weather patterns. Instead of the usual ebb and flow, this system has kept the rain at bay for months.

To put it in perspective: Scotland just experienced its second sunniest April on record — and the sunniest April ever recorded for the UK since 1910. On top of that, April 2025 was the third warmest since records began in 1884, with temperatures averaging 1.7°C above normal. That’s a big jump.

Of course, this sunny, warm weather hasn’t been all fun and games. It’s led to some serious drops in river and groundwater levels. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued multiple water scarcity warnings. For example, Fife and Angus saw their lowest groundwater levels for April in 28 years. The River Dee’s flow in Aberdeenshire was at one of the lowest levels ever recorded this early in the year—only one other time in 97 years has it been this bad.

Looking back, the dry conditions didn’t start overnight. Last autumn and winter were drier than usual. The Met Office says it was the fifth driest autumn in 100 years. Areas like Dundee saw nine months straight of below-average rainfall. And in the far north, places like Orkney and Shetland only got about a third to 40% of their normal rain. The Highlands also missed out on typical snowfall, which usually feeds rivers and reservoirs in spring. Instead of the usual 100-150 avalanche reports by February, there were just over 20—a sign that snow was in short supply.

It’s a bit like Scotland’s natural water tank never really got filled up.

How This Dry Spell Is Hitting Scotland’s Water Supplies

Scottish Water, the country’s main water provider, has been sounding the alarm. They’ve asked people to cut back on water use at home and in their gardens, especially since this is the driest start to a year Scotland has seen since 1964.

To keep taps running, Scottish Water pumped an extra 150 million litres into the public system every day starting in mid-April. That’s enough water to supply much of Greater Glasgow’s population daily. Still, reservoirs are about 10% lower than usual for this time of year.

Scottish Water’s CEO put it bluntly: “Scotland’s climate is clearly changing. We have to adapt by investing in water infrastructure and by using water more wisely in homes and businesses.”

But here’s the kicker: people in Scotland actually use a lot of water compared to their neighbors. A 2023 report by Consumer Scotland found the average Scot uses more than 180 litres of tap water every day. That’s way higher than England and Wales (144 litres), the Netherlands (133 litres), or even Germany (126 litres).

• Only Norway uses slightly more at 189 litres, but they have a very different climate.

Why so much? Partly because many Scottish homes don’t have water meters, so there’s less awareness of how much water they actually use. A BBC report recently pointed out a cultural mindset that water is abundant and “there’s always more.” That might need to change if Scotland is going to avoid a full-on drought crisis.

Consumer Scotland stresses the need for “a cultural shift to recognize water’s value and its finite nature,” which sounds like a polite way of saying: folks gotta stop wasting it.

Around 3.5% of Scots rely on private water supplies—mostly in rural and island communities. That’s roughly 23,000 separate supplies serving over 190,000 people. But that figure doesn’t even include tourists or visitors using private water on holiday homes or B&Bs, who could also feel the pinch.

Local councils handle support for private supply users, especially if there are problems. Some have already issued warnings and advice during this dry spell. For people on private water, there’s an Emergency Bottled Water Scheme that provides free bottled water to eligible households when supplies run low.

The government also funds a Private Water Supply Grant Scheme, offering up to £800 to help improve these private supplies. Not exactly a massive pot, but it’s something.

Private supplies can be more vulnerable in droughts because they often lack the infrastructure or backup reserves of Scottish Water’s system.

Is Scotland Ready to Face More Droughts?

Right now, Scotland is caught between old habits and new realities. The recent weather is a sharp reminder that even a country known for rain isn’t immune to water shortages. The dry winter and spring, combined with increased water use, have put a strain on reservoirs and rivers.

The challenge lies not just in boosting infrastructure but also in changing how people think about water. As the climate shifts, these drier spells might become more common. Without better water management, Scotland risks more frequent and severe shortages.

The ball’s in everyone’s court—from government bodies investing in pipes and reservoirs, to each household keeping an eye on their tap.