YORKSHIRE WATER SERVICES LIMITED NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR DROUGHT PERMIT

YORKSHIRE WATER SERVICES LIMITED NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR DROUGHT PERMIT River Wharfe Catchment

TAKE NOTICE that due to the threat of a serious water shortage in the Yorkshire area caused by an exceptional shortage of rain, YORKSHIRE WATER SERVICES LIMITED (company number 02366682) whose registered office is at Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ is applying to the Environment Agency for a drought permit under section 79A of the Water Resources Act 1991 in the River Wharfe catchment.

The drought permit is intended to apply until 31 March 2019 inclusive and proposes to increase the annual abstraction limit at Lobwood abstraction point on the River Wharfe and amend the Grimwith Reservoir releases during low flows.

Lobwood abstraction (grid reference SE 07 51) and Grimwith Reservoir releases (grid reference SE 06 64)

Yorkshire Water is authorised to abstract water from the River Wharfe at Lobwood, North Yorkshire for supply to customers under abstraction licence number 2/27/19/129/R01 ("the Lobwood Licence"). Yorkshire Water is entitled to abstract a maximum of 5,060 cubic metres per hour, 93,200 cubic metres per day and 23,742,000 cubic metres per year, at an instantaneous rate not exceeding 1,406 litres per second.

The daily abstraction limit varies depending on flow conditions ('bands') in the River Wharfe and upstream releases from Grimwith Reservoir. Under the conditions of the Lobwood Licence, during periods of low flow in the River Wharfe, Yorkshire Water is required to support its abstraction at Lobwood by releasing water from Grimwith Reservoir. When river flows are above 389 megalitres per day (Ml/d) (Bands A and B in the licence), Yorkshire Water does not have to provide any support. When river flows are between 252 and 389 Ml/d (Band C in the licence), Yorkshire Water is permitted to abstract the volume of water being released from Grimwith Reservoir plus an additional 6.8 Ml/d. When river flows are below 252 Ml/d (Band D in the licence), Yorkshire Water is permitted to abstract the volume of water being released from Grimwith Reservoir less 22.7 Ml/d, up to a maximum of 88.6 Ml/d.

The drought permit would amend the Lobwood Licence to allow Yorkshire Water to increase its annual abstraction limit to 27,397,000 cubic meters (an increase of 3,655,000 cubic meters) for the licensing year 2018/19 and, from the date which the permit is granted until 31 March 2019 inclusive, to abstract the full volume released from Grimwith Reservoir when river flows are in Band D. In Bands A, B and C there is no change to the permitted abstraction rates. The abstraction rates (hourly, daily and instantaneous maxima) specified in the licence for differing flow bands in the River Wharfe are not affected by the drought permit application. The maximum abstraction rate of 88.6 Ml/d in Band D is also unchanged.

Yorkshire Water is also entitled to abstract water from the River Wharfe at Arthington (SE 26 45), West Yorkshire under abstraction licence number 2/27/20/196/R01 ("the Arthington Licence"). The licence conditions for the Yorkshire Water abstraction at Arthington also impose an obligation for Yorkshire Water to support abstractions from Lobwood and/or Arthington with releases from Grimwith Reservoir that are 22.7 Ml/d greater than the abstracted volume when river flows are in Band D. This clause will be amended in the Arthington Licence for the duration of the drought permit, if granted, to allow the full volume released from Grimwith Reservoir to be abstracted from Lobwood when river flows are in Band D. However, any abstractions from Arthington during the period of the permit will continue to be supported as normal from Grimwith Reservoir under the terms of the Arthington Licence.

The anticipated effect of the drought permit, if granted, will be to reduce the rate of draw down on Grimwith Reservoir and increase the volume of river water Yorkshire Water can supply to customers. This will allow Yorkshire Water to reduce its use of other reservoirs in the region and allow stocks to recharge over the winter period, to help maintain supply to customers.

The increase in the annual abstraction from the River Wharfe at Lobwood has potential to impact on the River Wharfe downstream of the abstraction point and the River Dibb and River Wharfe downstream of the Grimwith Reservoir. Yorkshire Water, in consultation with the Environment Agency, has carried out an assessment of the potential environmental impacts resulting from the changes to the current operations under the terms of the permit. This includes an environmental monitoring plan and mitigation measures to reduce the impacts on the downstream ecology.

Anyone may inspect the proposals at the following locations, free of charge, during normal working hours for a period of eight days from the publication of this notice;

? Yorkshire Water, Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ.



? Addingham Post Office, 100 Main Street, Addingham, Ilkley, LS29 0NS.



? Grassington Post Office, 15 Main Street, Grassington, Skipton, BD23 5AD.



? Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds, LS11 9AT.



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 or psc-waterresources@environment-agency.gov.uk. Objections should be made immediately and in any event by 5pm on 30 November 2018. Objectors may send a copy of their objection to the address below.

Objectors may send a copy of their objection to Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ or publicaffairs@yorkshirewater.co.uk.

Dated: 22 November 2018

Signed: Pamela Doherty

Director of Service Delivery

Perminder Kaur

Head of Legal Services