§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been conducted for(a) her Department and (b) the Environment Agency on sites which (i) have been damaged by water abstraction and (ii) are threatened by continued water abstraction since 1995; and if she will list the locations of these sites. [84734]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 3 December 2002]The Environment Agency has set up the Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Programme to co-ordinate the assessment of the impact of water abstraction upon the environment. The programme brings together work relating to
the review of consents required on European designated sites under the Conservation (Habitat &c.) Regulations 1994the statutory duty under Section 28G of the Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000 in relation to Sites of Special Scientific Interestnon-designated sitesThe aims of the programme are to identify and investigate sites, both rivers and wetlands, where water abstraction may potentially be causing an impact upon the environment. Where it is demonstrated that such an impact is taking place, steps are taken to identify, justify and develop alternative, more sustainable sources of water.
The Agency is working closely with English Nature and the Countryside Council for Wales to identify designated sites that should be included in the programme. Sites within the programme are prioritised according to their importance, i.e. the level of designation, and urgency, i.e. the environmental risk posed. The Agency is developing a timetable for progressing investigations of these sites taking into account its available resources.
Until the investigation work has been completed there is no definitive list available of all sites which have been, or are threatened with damage as a result of abstraction except for a list of SSSIs where investigations have shown that abstractions are having a detrimental impact. The table details sites where investigations have shown that abstractions are having a significant detrimental impact and remedial action has been taken and completed.
791WThe sites in the table have had funding agreed through the Periodic Review of water prices for the period 2000–04 to allow implementation of solutions to alleviate the impact of water company abstractions.
SSSI name County Abstractor Action taken Completion date River Eden and Tributaries Cumbria North West Water Relocation of the discharge of compensation flow to remove dry stretch. 2002 East Ruston Common Norfolk Anglian Water Reduction of licensed abstraction by 50 per cent. at East Ruston. 2003 Bowland Fells Lancashire North West Water Investigation, reduction and relocation as well as new treatment works. 2003 The Moors, Bishop's Waltham Hampshire Portsmouth Water Close pumping station and develop new source. 2003 Severn Trent Water: Blakedown Brook Worcestershire Severn Trent Water and South Staffordshire Water Severn Trent Water: low flow river compensation works to provide up to 2MI/d into the Blakedown Book. 2003 South Staffs Water: Hurcott and Podmore Pools Diverted output and additional flow. Reduction in groundwater abstration. Arundel Park West Sussex Southern Water Partial licence revocation. 2003 River Camel Cornwall South West Water Investigate and adjust licence operating conditions 2003 Speen (part of Kennet and Lambourn SAC) Berkshire Thames Water Precautionary investigation of possible impact through monitoring of shallow groundwater head. Implement solution. 2003 River Avon Wiltshire Wessex Water Reduction of abstraction at Chitterne and use of other sources 2003 River Itchen Hampshire Southern Water (SW) and Portsmouth Water (PW) Input to catchment modelling investigations and implementation. SW: general R. Itchen SAC investigation. PW: R. Itchen model Fish Screen not included in price limits 2004 Didlington Park Lakes Norfolk Anglian Water Investigation and abstraction reduction (25 per cent. at two boreholes). 2005 Kenninghall and Banham Fens and Quidenham Mere Norfolk Anglian Water Investigation to identify potential impact and abstraction reduction by 25 per cent. at three boreholes. 2005 Sheringham and Beeston Regis Common Norfolk Anglian Water Investigations and relocation of public water supply boreholes. 2005 Yare Broads and Marshes Norfolk Anglian Water Investigation and reduction of licensed abstraction by 75 per cent. at Strumpshaw. 2005 Fowlmere Cambridgeshire Cambridge Water Investigation and reduction in licensed abstraction by 50 per cent. 2005 Cattawade Marshes Essex Essex and Suffolk Water Investigation and reduction in licensed abstraction 2005 Aqualate Mere Staffordshire Severn Trent Water Investigate low-flow river and implement solution 2005 Hewell Park Lake Worcestershire Severn Trent Water Implement compensation from Brockhill source during low water levels 2005 Sulham and Tidmarsh Woods and Meadows Berkshire Thames Investigate and implement solution, including possible modification to licence at Pangbourne 2005
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the sites where action has been taken by(a) her Department and (b) the Environment Agency since 1995 on SSSIs which (i) have been damaged and (ii) are threatened with damage from water abstraction, and in each case list the nature of this action. [84735]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 3 December 2002]The Environment Agency regulates water abstraction and is the statutory body with a duty to secure the proper use of water resources in England and Wales.
The Environment Agency and English Nature are working closely together to identify those SSSIs which
792WOther sites have been funded for investigation only, and any necessary remedial action will be taken as appropriate.
are, or may be, affected by abstraction. In September 1999 the joint Agency and English Nature document 'Water abstraction and Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England' was published. This document contains details of SSSIs identified as being potentially linked to abstraction. Subsequently a limited number of additional sites have been highlighted and included in the Agency's Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Programme.
The following table details sites where investigations have shown that abstractions are having a significant detrimental impact and remedial action has been taken and completed.
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SSSI name County Abstractor Action taken Chippenham Fen Cambridgeshire — Compensation borehole Thriplow Peat Holes Cambridgeshire — Compensation borehole Ashwell Springs Hertfordshire — Compensation water provided Cornard Mere Suffolk — Compensation water increased Edgbaston Pool West Midlands Golf club Alternative supply found Old Rectory Meadows Buckinghamshire Thames Water and Three Valleys Water PWS; River Misbourne alleviation scheme Redgrave and Lopham Fen Suffolk Essex and Suffolk Water Cessation of abstraction and relocation of borehole Sandwich Bay and Hacklinge Marshes Kent Southern Water Licence revocation River Gelt Cumbria United Utilities Modification of intake structures North Dartmoor (Taw Marsh) Devon South West Water Licence revocation The sites in the table below have had funding agreed through Asset Management Plan 3 (AMPS) for implementation of solutions to alleviate the impact of
SSSI name County Abstractor Action taken Completion date River Eden and Tributaries Cumbria North West Water Relocation of the discharge of compensation flow to remove dry stretch 2002 East Ruston Common Norfolk Anglian Water Reduction of licensed abstraction by 50 per cent. at East Ruston 2003 Bowland Fells Lancashire North West Water Investigation, reduction and relocation as well as new treatment works 2003 The Moors, Bishop's Waltham Hampshire Portsmouth Water Close pumping station and develop new source 2003 Severn Trent Water: Blakedown Brook Worcestershire Seven Trent Water and South Staffordshire Water Severn Trent Water: low flow river compensation works to provide up to 2Ml/d into the Blakedown Brook 2003 South Staffs Water: Hurcott and Podmore Pools Diverted output and additional flows. Reduction in groundwater abstraction Arundel Park West Sussex Southern Water Partial licence revocation 2003 River Camel Cornwall South West Water Investigate and adjust licence operating conditions 2003 Speen (part of Kennet and Lambourn SAC) Berkshire Thames Water Precautionary investigation of possible impact through monitoring of shallow groundwater head. Implement solution 2003 River Avon Wiltshire Wessex Water Reduction of abstraction at Chitterne and use of other sources 2003 River Itchen Hampshire Southern Water and Portsmouth Water Input to catchment modelling investigations and implementation. SW: general R. Itchen SAC investigation. PW: R. Itchen model Fish Screen not included in price limits 2004 Didlington Park Lakes Norfolk Anglian Water Investigation and abstraction reduction (25 per cent. at two boreholes) 2005 Kenninghall and Banham Fens and Quidenham Mere Norfolk Anglian Water Investigation to identify potential impact and abstraction reduction by 25 per cent. at three boreholes 2005 Sheringham and Beeston Regis Common Norfolk Anglian Water Investigations and relocation of PWS boreholes 2005 Yare Broads and Marshes Norfolk Anglian Water Investigation and reduction of licensed abstraction by 75 per cent. at Strumpshaw 2005 Fowlmere Cambridgeshire Cambridge Water Investigation and reduction in licensed abstraction by 50 per cent. 2005 Cattawade Marshes Essex Essex and Suffolk Water Investigation and reduction in licensed abstraction 2005 Aqualate Mere Staffordshire Severn Trent Water Investigate low-flow river and implement solution 2005 Hewell Park Lake Worcestershire Severn Trent Water Implement compensation from Brockhill source during low water levels 2005 Sulham and Tidmarsh Woods and Meadows Berkshire Thames Investigate and implement solution, including possible modification to licence at Pangbourne 2005 The Environment Agency, in liaison with English Nature, are currently reviewing existing abstraction licences and other permissions in accordance with the requirements of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994. The investigation and subsequent remedial action at European designated
794Wabstraction. Other sites have been funded for investigation only, any necessary remedial action will be taken as appropriate.
sites will also contribute to the protection of SSSIs as they make up Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas.
Investigation of SSSIs, identified through the Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Programme, will be undertaken on the basis of the priority assigned. A 795W number of sites where there is a potential link to water company abstraction have been identified for possible funding through AMP4, although further progression will be subject to further Ministerial Advice and the outcome of the 2004 Periodic Review process.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many water abstraction licences were revoked in each year since 1995; and if she will list(a) the holder of the licence, (b) the location of the licence, (c) the reasons for the action, (d) the total water volume of the original licence and (e) the amount of compensation paid as a result, in each case. [84736]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 3 December 2002]The information requested is not currently held in a central, accessible form within the Environment Agency. A requirement has been identified, through the Agency's Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Programme, to store such information centrally. Work is currently in progress to modify existing database systems to allow this.
In seeking to address environmental problems resulting from the effects of abstractions the Agency seeks wherever possible to secure negotiated and agreed solutions that avoid the necessity to use its statutory powers of revocation and the need for compensation. To date it has not used its statutory powers.
The Agency has, however, identified three examples where it has secured environmentally beneficial solutions by making contributory payments. This may not be an exhaustive list.
River Worfe
The then NRA, pursuing its programme of resource recovery, negotiated with the holder of a surface water spray irrigation licence having a major impact on river flows during low flow periods. Agreement was reached to replace the unconstrained licence by a new borehole having significantly less impact on the river. The NRA undertook to construct and test pump the borehole at a cost of about £60,000.
Redgrave and Lopham Fen
A high profile scheme was agreed to rescue this fen from damage by an abstraction by Essex and Suffolk Water. It involved relocating a public water supply borehole away from the fen. Total cost of the project was £3.2 million of which the Agency contributed £0.78 million. The rest came from Essex and Suffolk Water (£1.02 million) and an EC life grant (£1.4 million).
River Mun
To restore flows in a small north Norfolk river, the Agency persuaded a local farming company to replace a summer surface water licence with a groundwater source. Licensing the borehole involved laying a water main to some isolated properties to prevent derogation of the rights of other abstractors. The Agency paid the £30,000 cost of that.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the abstraction management requirements are which the UK must implement in order to comply with the EC Water Framework Directive. [84737]
796W
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 3 December 2002]In respect of the management of the abstraction of fresh surface water and groundwater, Article 11(3)(e) of the EC Water Framework Directive requires that:
there must be controls over abstraction of fresh surface water and groundwater;a register of abstractions must be maintained;abstractions must have prior authorisation; andcontrols must be periodically reviewed, and where necessary updated.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what work her Department is doing to ensure that the proposed Water Bill will fully implement the requirements of the EC Water Framework Directive on water abstraction management. [84738]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 3 December 2002]The controls on abstraction in Part II of the Water Resources Act 1991 and the clauses in the draft Water Bill will together be largely sufficient to deliver the obligation under Article 11(3)(e) of the Water Framework Directive. However, there are a number of small, but potentially significant, aspects of the abstraction licensing system that will require further consideration. The Department is currently consulting on what additional measures beyond the proposals in the Water Bill may be needed to fully implement the requirements arising under that Article.