Drought conditions are set to stay despite a wet end to the summer months, experts have warned.
The Environment Agency has said it will take more than a few weeks of wet weather to end the drought, which was officially declared in Norfolk on July 29 after a prolonged period of low rainfall and extreme heat.
The county experienced five heatwaves this summer and the sustained dry conditions have put severe pressure on water supplies and the environment.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "Drought conditions will continue until there is sustained rainfall across the country.
"A few days or even weeks of wetter weather cannot reverse the impacts of several months of exceptionally dry conditions."
Anglian Water introduced a hosepipe ban in Norfolk on July 11, restricting hosepipe use for watering gardens, washing cars or filling paddling pools.
The National Drought Group, which includes the Met Office, water companies, and government agencies, began meeting weekly in August to coordinate the response.
August 28 to September 3 was the wettest week since early February, according to Environment Agency figures, with “rainfall improving river flows, soil moisture deficits and environmental conditions across much of England”, but reservoir storage remains low.
In the week ending September 1, national reservoir levels fell to 58pc, with 11 reservoirs less than half full.
Philip Duffy, chief executive of the Environment Agency, added: "Drought conditions will continue until we receive sustained rainfall across the country and we still all have a role to play in conserving precious water supplies."
The Met Office says Norfolk can expect a mix of sunshine, showers and settled spells through September, with the potential for warmer-than-average days later in the month as high pressure builds across southern England.
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