Impound (store) water

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Services

• Water resources licence application forms

  Use these forms to apply for a water resources licence.

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Guidance and regulation

• Environmental permits and abstraction licences: tables of charges
  • Statutory guidance
  • 15 May 2026
  • Environment Agency
• Apply for a water abstraction or impounding licence
  • Detailed guide
  • 2 March 2026
  • Environment Agency
• Water supply asset discharges: consents, permits and risk assessments
  • Detailed guide
  • 30 March 2026
  • Environment Agency
• Change, revoke or transfer a water abstraction or impoundment licence
  • Detailed guide
  • 5 May 2026
  • Environment Agency
• Get advice before you apply for a water abstraction or impounding licence
  • Detailed guide
  • 28 April 2026
  • Environment Agency

See more guidance and regulation in this topic

News and communications

• Drought declared in parts of Sussex by Environment Agency
  • 10 October 2025
  • Environment Agency
  • Press release
• West Country creates sources of water in unlikeliest places 
  • 3 April 2025
  • Environment Agency
  • News story
• National Drought Group meets after record wet October to March
  • 18 April 2024
  • Environment Agency
  • Press release
• Environment Secretary statement on Ofwat performance report
  • 26 September 2023
  • Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
  • News story
• New plan for cleaner and more plentiful water
  • 3 April 2023
  • Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Environment Agency, Natural England, and The Water Services Regulation Authority
  • Press release

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Policy papers and consultations

• Water resources charge proposals from April 2022
  • 1 April 2022
  • Environment Agency
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 10 November 2021
• Environment Agency charge proposals: Kielder Reservoir and transfer scheme
  • 15 April 2020
  • Environment Agency
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 25 February 2020
• Assessing and scoring environmental permit and licence compliance
  • 13 March 2025
  • Environment Agency
  • Policy paper
• Aire and Calder abstraction licensing strategy
  • 16 January 2025
  • Environment Agency
  • Policy paper
• Bristol Avon and North Somerset abstraction licensing strategy
  • 19 December 2012
  • Environment Agency
  • Policy paper

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Organisations

• Department
  for Environment,
  Food & Rural Affairs

• Environment Agency
• Natural England