The Environment Agency has issued drought permits that will allow Yorkshire Water to conserve water in 12 reservoirs and secure public drinking water supplies.
The company submitted drought permit applications for the North West Group of Reservoirs across Wharfedale, Bingley, Shipley, Craven, Yeadon, Baildon and the Worth Valley.
The water company’s current licences require them to release a certain amount of water from the reservoirs to maintain the health of the river.
The permits allow them to reduce the amount released to conserve water in the reservoirs and secure water supplies, while still maintaining necessary environmental protection for the river.
The 12 permits were issued by the Environment Agency on October 24 and will last until March 31, 2023.
Earlier this month the applications were subject to a Planning Inspectorate public hearing after an objection from a member of the public. The Environment Agency considered the inspector’s report when making its decisions.
Victoria Slingsby, Environment Agency Yorkshire drought manager, said:
“Despite recent rainfall in Yorkshire, this has not been enough to refill rivers and reservoirs and we are still facing a serious deficiency of water supplies.
“We only issue a permit if we are content that there are clear plans in place to mitigate any impact on the environment, along with strong evidence from Yorkshire Water of their ongoing commitment to reduce leaks and improve water efficiency.
“We will continue to work closely with Yorkshire Water as it develops the long-term solutions to protect water resources while drought conditions continue across Yorkshire.”
