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Water resources
What are drought orders and permits? In addition to hosepipe and sprinkler bans water companies may apply for drought orders and permits. Drought permits, which are granted by the Environment Agency, can authorise a water company to take water from new sources or to alter restrictions on existing abstractions. In regulating water abstraction the Environment Agency seeks to balance water supply needs and the environmental implications of abstracting water. Drought orders can go further and restrict the non-essential use of water, as set out in the Drought Direction 1991. Emergency drought orders may go further than ordinary drought orders. They are intended to deal with a situation in which the deficiency of supplies resulting from or threatened by an exceptional shortage of rain is likely to impair the economic or social well-being of persons in the area. They allow water companies to limit the use of water for such purposes as it thinks fit (ie not merely those specified in the Drought Direction 1991 and to set up, and supply water by means of, stand-pipes or water tanks. Defra is currently in the process of updating the companies' powers to restrict the non-essential use of water. You can find more details on its website.  |
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