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Consultation on proposals for time limiting of water abstraction licences

   

News release

Ref: 113/09
Date: 12 May 2009

A consultation on proposals for mandatory time limiting of water abstraction licences in England and Wales has been published today.

Water abstraction is when water is taken from surface waters such as rivers and lakes, or groundwater sources including boreholes and wells. Anyone who takes more than 20 cubic metres (4400 gallons) per day from these sources requires a licence.

Under current legislation, all new licences are currently issued with time limits and voluntary conversion of existing licences to time limited status is encouraged.  Despite this, only 20 per cent of all licences are time limited, whilst the remainder of licences holders can continue to take water for an unlimited time unless their licence is revoked. 

By increasing the number of time limited licences, the proposed change would give the Environment Agency, the regulatory body for abstraction licences, the power to change volumes and conditions on new and existing licences. Time limiting is vital in ensuring water resources can be managed and  allocated efficiently, in order to cope with the anticipated impacts of climate change and help meet the aims set out in the Government’s 2008 water strategy Future Water.

T o access the consultation visit www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/water-abstraction/index.htm.

The consultation is being carried out jointly by Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government and runs for 12 weeks.  Any resulting changes to primary legislation would be taken forward via the Floods and Water Management Bill.

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Page published: 12 May 2009