Water Resources
STATUTORY NOTICE FOR DROUGHT PERMIT APPLICATION
SOUTH WEST WATER LIMITED
STANNON LAKE DROUGHT PERMIT
SECTION 79A OF THE WATER RESOURCES ACT 1991
TAKE NOTICE that due to a serious water shortage (or a threat thereof) in the Colliford Water Resource Zone ("WRZ") caused by an exceptional shortage of rain, South West Water Limited ("SWW") of Peninsula House, Rydon Ln, Exeter EX2 7HR is applying to the Environment Agency for a drought permit under section 79A of the Water Resources Act 1991.
The proposed drought permit will involve a variation to the Abstraction Licence number SW/049/0281/001/R01 dated 20 November 2016 ("the Licence"); until 1 April 2023.
Under the terms of the Licence, SWW is allowed to abstract a maximum quantity of 4 megalitres per day from Stannon Lake and a maximum quantity of 1,464 megalitres per annum.
SWW now wishes to apply to:
1. Increase the daily abstraction limit to 6 megalitres per day; and
2. Replace the annual limitation of 1,464 megalitres with a limit of 1,766 megalitres in respect of all water abstracted from Stannon Lake, for the abstraction year 2022/2023
For the avoidance of doubt, the increase in the annual limitation provided for by (2) will only apply in the abstraction year ending 1 April 2023.
The proposed Drought Permit, if granted, will allow SWW to continue to abstract water from Stannon Lake, with further volume available for public water supply, or to refill Colliford Reservoir directly. SWW is applying for this Drought Permit to reduce the risk of drought permits or orders being required in Spring/Summer 2023, and to assist the recovery of water supply resources in Colliford WRZ which have been excessively depleted as a result of drought and to assist the maintenance of water supply across the WRZ, thereby reducing risk to supply in 2023.
SWW will show that the deficiency of water supply or a threat thereof relates to an "exceptional shortage of rainfall" within its drought permit application.
Anyone may inspect the proposals, free of charge, at:
• South West Water Head Office, Peninsula House, Rydon Lane, Exeter, EX2 7HR (9am – 5pm Mon-Fri).
• Sir John Moore House, Omaha Road, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL31 1EB (9am – 5pm Mon-Fri).
• Camelford Post Office, 12 Market Place, Camelford, Cornwall, PL32 9PB (8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat).
• Application documents will be hosted at https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/advice-and-services/save-water/hosepipeban/
Objections may be made in writing to the Environment Agency at:
Water Resources Permitting Support Centre
Environment Agency
Quadrant 2
99 Parkway Avenue
Parkway Business Park
Sheffield S9 4WF
Email address: PSC-WaterResources@environment-agency.gov.uk
Objectors should state the grounds of the objection and provide an address or email address to which correspondence relating to the objection may be sent.
The Environment Agency will pass to SWW a copy of any objection it receives.
Objections should be made immediately and in any event by 23:59 on 3 November 2022
Dr Lisa Gahan, Group Director of Regulatory, Strategy and Asset Management For and on behalf of South West Water Limited
27 October 2022