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 two drought permits ("the Drought Permits") under section 79A of the Water Resources Act 1991.

Kennall Vale

SWW is licenced to abstract water from the River Kennall for public water supply under abstraction licence number 15/48/22/S/29 dated 1 June 1971 ("the KV Licence").

Under the KV Licence, SWW is allowed to abstract a maximum quantity of water from River Kennall of 54,552 cubic metres per day and up to 4,091,460 cubic metres per annum. When the flow in the River Kennall immediately downstream of the works is in excess of 0.065 cumecs, then up to 75% of this excess flow may be abstracted by SWW (subject to the maximum daily and annual abstraction limits).

The drought permit application for Kennall Vale will involve a variation to the KV Licence until 31 December 2022 to allow SWW to abstract up to 100% of the excess flow (above 0.065 cumecs). The daily and annual abstraction limits as proscribed by the KV Licence will not be altered.

Restormel Water Treatment Works

SWW is licenced to abstract water from the River Fowey at the Restormel Water Treatment Works ("WTW") for public water supply under abstraction licence number 15/48/18/S/40 dated 8 April 1987 ("the Restormel Licence").

Under the Restormel Licence, SWW is allowed to abstract a maximum quantity of water from River Fowey of 110,000 cubic metres per day and up to 28,900,000 cubic metres per annum. The annual abstraction limit of 28,900,000 has been increased to a limit of 32,200,000 until the end of 2022 by way of a drought permit issued on 31 October 2022.

Under condition 2 of the Restormel Licence, when the flow in the River Fowey is above 1.207 cumecs, then up to 50% of this excess flow may be abstracted by SWW, except to the extent that water is released from Colliford or Siblyback Reservoirs. This abstraction is still subject to the maximum daily and annual abstraction limits.

The drought permit application for Restormel WTW will involve a variation to the Restormel Licence until 31 December 2022 to allow SWW to abstract up to 75% of the excess flow, above 1.207 cumecs. The daily abstraction limit and annual abstraction limit (as varied by the drought permit issued on 31 October 2022) will not be altered.

The Drought Permits, if granted, will allow SWW to continue to abstract water from the River Kennall and River Fowey, with further volume available for public water supply, or to refill Colliford Reservoir directly.

SWW is applying for these Drought Permits 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).

• Bude Post Office, Belle Vue, Bude, EX23 8LU (9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-12.30pm Sat).

• Ponsanooth Post Office, 2 St Michael's Road, Ponsanooth, Truro, TR3 7EA (7.30am – 7pm Mon – Fri, 8am – 7pm Sat and 9am – 3pm Sun)

• 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 11 November 2022

Dr Lisa Gahan, Group Director of Regulatory, Strategy and Asset Management

For and on behalf of South West Water Limited

4 November 2022