On Lundy, a small island off the north Devon coast in England, the plugs have been taken out of the bathtubs. "We can't have baths," said island manager Matt Scantlebury. "All the plugs have been removed to resist temptation."
The island is surrounded by sea, yet it is running out of drinking water. Famous for its puffins and seals, Lundy attracts birdwatchers from far and wide. But after the hottest and driest summer on record, it may soon have to close.
Lundy is entirely self-sufficient. It relies on rainwater and on deep wells drilled into its granite rock. According to managing director Derek Green, there has been no significant rainfall since April, and the island has received barely 20% of the rain it would normally expect by this time of year. At their lowest point, its reservoir levels fell to 13%.
Since August, a passenger ferry has been bringing water from the mainland. The first delivery, about 67,000 liters, cost around £7,000. Since then, the ferry has carried 4,000 liters three times a week. But the 28 people who live on the island, together with visitors, use between 9,000 and 11,000 liters a day.
Getting that water to where it is needed is hard work. The island has only a granite track and a few vehicles, and a landslide in June cut off part of the road to the village at the top. Water now goes from the ship to a tank halfway up the hill, then through a fire hose past the damaged section, before being pumped up to the reservoir.
As a last resort, the island has started treating water from ponds used by wildlife. "Bringing in pond water is something we've never had to do before," Green said. "If we didn't do this, we would be facing the reality of closing Lundy." The pond water helped lift the reservoir back to 23.7% by early October.
Daily life has changed, too. People shower with buckets to catch the water, then use it to flush toilets. The island's pub has closed its toilets and sends visitors to toilets in a back shed, which are filled with pond water.
Closing Lundy would mean moving out the residents and the animals on its working farm, and canceling people's holidays. That has never happened in the island's history, and Green said they were close to having to make that decision. The ponds are already starting to drop, and the seasonal ferry carrying the water is due to stop running for the winter.
Shortages are becoming more frequent. In September 2025, the island also considered closing when its reservoir fell to 33%. Green believes islanders must learn to use less water and store more of it. Even when rain returns, a BBC weather forecaster said, it will take weeks to refill the reservoir and groundwater.
For now, the islanders are "praying for rain." And when it does come, Green said, it needs to pour.