River Abstraction

To remove or abstract water from a surface water source, e.g. river, reservoir or lake, and take more than 20 m³ (approximately 4,400 gallons) a day, an abstraction licence is required

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To remove or abstract water from a surface water source, e.g. river, reservoir or lake, and take more than 20 m³ (approximately 4,400 gallons) a day, an abstraction licence is required. 20 m³ per day can be extracted without a licence but it would still be prudent to check with a water licensing body as local restrictions may exist. If a licence is required then it is advisable to contact the water licensing body as soon as possible to discuss the proposals. Licences may be seasonal, i.e., winter or summer only abstraction, and all licences require the user to keep accurate up to date records to assess usage. There are three types of extraction licence, these are:

Full abstraction licence - for most types of abstraction over 20 m³ a day
Transfer licence - for moving water from one source to another with no intervening use
Temporary licence - over 20 m³ a day over a period of less than 28 consecutive days

A licence will specify the water source, quantity and what it can be used for and is issued for time-limited periods, usually 12 years. These carry a presumption of renewal but a licence holder will need to re-apply and satisfy the water licensing body that the water has been used efficiently. The water licensing body will consider what impact extraction has had on the local environment. The following is usually required to extract from a surface water source:

Details of land ownership surrounding the abstraction source
Details of water use and timings
Additional ecological information may be required to prove extraction will not be detrimental to surrounding habitats and/or protected species

All the above information helps the water licensing body identify whether water is available and by monitoring how the water will be used, helping them assess the impact on other users and the environment. In some cases, to raise public awareness, it may be necessary to advertise an application which will need to be paid for by the applicant. The water licensing body aims to take 13 weeks to process applications from the date of acceptance. If the application is granted, an annual charge for water authorised to abstract will be liable. The charge is also dependent on what the water will be used for.

A licence will not guarantee the quality of the water or that the allocated amount will always be available. The quality and quantity of the water will depend on the weather, climate and other uncontrollable factors. More information can be found here.