Lundy Island Rations Water as Drought Deepens — SkimNews
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- Lundy Island has had no significant rain since the start of May, with water tanks dropping to 13% capacity two weeks ago — enough for only about a week of supply.
- Island authorities shut the campsite, closed toilets at the Marisco Tavern pub, removed bath plugs from holiday lets (which can host up to 110 people), and asked visitors to limit flushing.
- Matt Scantlebury, the island manager, said tonnes of water was being ferried over in 1,000-litre containers aboard the MS Oldenburg to top up supplies.
- Pondsbury, the island's freshwater pool, was approved for drinking use, with 12,000 litres drawn daily to lift reserves back to 22.5% — but Scantlebury said the pool is now starting to run dry.
- Conservation farmer Tom Carr, on Lundy for over 20 years, said climate change is causing rain clouds to split around the granite outcrop, leaving the island consistently dry.
- A 300,000-litre water tank has been ordered; a desalination plant was considered but rejected as too expensive and energy-intensive for the island.
- Lundy cabbage, a primitive brassica found nowhere else on Earth, has thrived in the dry conditions, with hundreds establishing in areas where they wouldn't normally grow.
Why it matters: With no significant rain since May and the Pondsbury backup pool now drying up after just weeks of use, Lundy's 28 permanent residents and up to 110 visitors face a real evacuation risk if the newly ordered 300,000-litre tank arrives too late — making this a live test case for how small, off-grid communities adapt to climate-driven water scarcity.
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