Abstraction licences

An abstraction licence in England and Wales is a licence to abstract a controlled water (surface water or groundwater) where you plan to abstract more than 20m3/day (4,400 gallons). Where you plan to abstract less than 20m3/day no abstraction licence is required and no application has to be made to the Environment Agency.

In Scotland the situation slightly different and you can have a ‘General Binding Rule’ where abstraction is less than 10m3/day (low risk) – no application is required, a ‘Registration’ (moderate risk) where abstraction is between 10m3 and 50m3 but does not incur an annual subsistence charge, an ‘Abstraction Licence’ (higher risk) for abstractions of more than 50m3/day and an application charge will apply, and the activity may also be subject to an annual subsistence charge.

In any area of the country requirements for authorisations and licenses are aimed at larger water users to ensure that control is in place so not more water is abstracted than is required and the water environment is managed appropriately both for use and the environment.

Here at Dales Water we take a holistic view of new contracts and if required are in place to take care of a new licence application either in England and Wales or Scotland to ensure that your new borehole abstraction is fully compliant with the relevant laws. However, we are also available to help you gain you your abstraction licence whatever your situation, where you have an existing borehole water supply and are planning to increase the amount of water you abstract requiring a new abstraction licence, are looking to vary an abstraction licence to change some of the conditions on your licence or renew a licence which is approaching expiry. Given the current drought situation many of our clients are finding our expertise and help invaluable to ensuring they get the abstraction licence that they require.

About the Author: Jonathan Dalton

2nd generation of one of the founding directors 'Jonny' has approximately 12 years in the groundwater industry in various guises. Jonny worked in the Groundwater and Contaminated Land unit of the Environment Agency dealing with both regulation of groundwater abstraction licenses, then became a senior Geo-environmental Scientist for a large consulting engineers before moving on to become a director at Dales Water full time in 2009. Jonny has been involved in large water well supply projects for both sports clubs and water bottling facilities but delivers on projects of all sizes.