Abstraction licensing strategies (CAMS process)
Find out how much water is available in your area by viewing Environment Agency abstraction licensing strategies.
The Environment Agency is responsible for managing water resources in England. We need to make sure there is:
- enough water for people - public water supply, industry and agriculture
- a healthy environment
The Environment Agency controls how much water is taken with a permitting system. The Environment Agency regulate existing licences and grant new ones. To do this they use:
- the catchment abstraction management strategy (CAMS) process
- abstraction licensing strategies
The publication ‘managing water abstraction’ sets out the approach and regulatory framework within which we will manage water resources.
You need a water abstraction licence from the Environment Agency to remove more than 20 cubic metres of water a day from a watercourse or underground water reserve in England.
The strategies below are grouped by Environment Agency areas. See a map showing the areas.
Help us improve water abstraction services
The Environment Agency is doing research to make it easier to do things like:
- find out how much water is available to abstract
- apply for a water abstraction licence
- manage a water abstraction licence
We need feedback from users to make sure our improvements meet people’s needs. Sign up for occasional invites to take part in research.