Droughts were predicted decades ago – yet water companies did nothing | Letter

Water boards in the south of England should have paid attention to scientific models and built reservoirs, writes Steve Lindsay, while Martin Gray suggests turning salt water into drinking water is the answer

In 1998, I travelled to London for the release of the Meteorological Office’s first forecasts of the impact of climate change on the UK. I was encouraged to see in the audience many representatives from water companies from the south of England. The Met Office modelling showed that “For summer, there is a general tendency for drying in the south of the UK” and “Warming over the UK will be more rapid in the south-east”.

Today, representatives of the southern water boards appear to be surprised that we are experiencing a drought in the south of England (Three-quarters of England in drought as summer’s fifth heatwave looms, 10 August). They should have paid more attention to the science and started the planning and building of reservoirs 28 years ago instead of putting their profits into the pockets of their shareholders.

Steve Lindsay

Emeritus professor of public health entomology, Durham University