The research by Kingfisher, owner of B&Q and Screwfix, in partnership with economics consultancy Cebr2, shows that by 2030, shows seven regions in England are set to be severely water stressed.

The insight comes as Kingfisher aims to raise awareness of water scarcity and support its customers to save water in their homes.

The West Midlands, London, parts of the South West, the East Midlands, the East of England, and the South East are all regions expected to be severely impacted, unless there are developments in water resilience in the near future.

Regions in the South of England are expected to be the worst affected. By comparison, the North West, the North East and Yorkshire & the Humber will be less vulnerable to severe water stress.

The data reveals that the level of water scarcity under Wessex Water was moderate in 2022-23, and this will remain the same till 2030, although it is expected to be severe by 2039-2040.

By 2040, the year the Environment Agency has warned that England risks running short of water, the number of seriously water stressed regions is on course to rise to 12, out of a total of 171.

Currently, regions in England are not considered to be water stressed. Water stress occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available local supply and is being exacerbated by the effects of climate change and population growth.

Daily water consumption in homes across England has risen in recent years, with each person using 144 litres in 2021/22, compared to 141 litres in 2017/18.

That is equivalent to more than four large wheelie bins worth of water each week. To help close the looming gap between supply and demand, the Government is targeting a reduction to 122 litres per person per day by 2038, falling to 110 litres by 2050.

Thierry Garnier, CEO of Kingfisher, said: “Across Europe, we are experiencing more extreme weather, leading to increasing water scarcity in many regions.

“As the impact of climate change becomes more apparent, measures such as hose pipe bans are set to become much more common, with increasingly strong measures needed to reduce demand.  

“We all have a role to play in conserving water. Making simple and affordable changes in our homes can have a huge impact, from installing water butts to collect rainwater for the garden to fitting tap aerators or low-flow shower heads.

“Governments can also help by encouraging the rollout of smart water meters and supporting the public to be more informed about water.

“By taking action now, we can put our water usage on a more sustainable path and safeguard this essential resource for the future.”  

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: "Around 75 per cent of the water we supply comes from groundwater sources, so we’re less reliant on reservoirs than some other companies, while we’ve invested £230 million in a supply grid that enables water to be moved around the Wessex Water region to meet changing demands.

“We have a water resources management plan which ensures we’re already taking further steps to meet our customers’ demand from 2025 to 2080.”