Notice

Affinity Water Limited: application made to abstract water

Published 26 February 2021

This notice was withdrawn on

The consultation period for this application has ended. You can view current licences on the Public Registers.

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2021

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/affinity-water-limited-npswr027731-application-made-to-abstract-water--2/affinity-water-limited-application-made-to-abstract-water

Details of the application

Affinity Water Limited has applied to the Environment Agency for a licence.

The Environment Agency is giving notice of this application in accordance with Section 37 of the Water Resources Act 1991 and Regulation 6 of the Water Resources (Abstraction and Impounding) Regulations 2006.

Notice of this application, NPS/WR/027731, was originally given on the 03 January 2020. This new notice summarises changes made by Affinity Water to its application since the original notice.

The application is to vary existing licence, serial number 28/39/28/0480, which authorises the abstraction of groundwater from sites near Batchworth and West Hyde at National Grid References TQ 06 93 and TQ 04 91 respectively.

The original notice stated that the variation applied for comprises three components, outlined below:

  • (i) An extension to the period that Affinity Water may abstract 32,120,000 cubic metres per year from 31 March 2020 to 31 March 2025. Thereafter, the annual abstraction rate will reduce to 29,200,000 cubic metres per year. This limit applies to the combined abstraction from all nine abstraction sites authorised by this licence.

It is still proposed that the annual abstraction rate of 32,120,000 cubic metres per year is reinstated, and will apply up to 31 March 2025.

  • (ii) An increase in the peak daily abstraction rate at the Batchworth site from 20,457 cubic metre per day to 28,000 cubic metres per day, effective for 30 months.

The revised application now proposes to increase the rate to 26,000 cubic metres per day until 31 March 2025.

  • (iii) An increase in the peak daily abstraction rate at the West Hyde site from 20,457 cubic metres per day to 22,457 cubic metres per day, effective for 30 months.

The revised application now proposed to increase the rate to 21, 600 cubic metres per day until 31 March 2025.

The increase in peak daily abstraction rates will only commence if water quality at other Affinity Water abstraction sites is affected by construction of HS2, which leads to full or partial outage.

All water abstracted is for the purpose of public water supply and the variation will contribute to maintaining resilience of supply during episodes of peak demand. This proposal is not to enable Affinity Water Limited to supply High Speed Two (HS2) Limited with construction water.

How to view the application

We are following Government advice to manage the risks of Coronavirus to our organisation, to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and sustain our critical operations. As a result, please contact us via e-mail or use the number below to arrange to see the application documents.

How to comment on the application

Send any representation about this application by email, quoting the name of the applicant and reference number NPS/WR/027731 to the Environment Agency at: psc-waterresources@environment-agency.gov.uk

By 26 March 2021.

For advice about how to make a representation call 03708 506 506.

Back to top