Guidance

Get advice before you apply for a water abstraction or impounding licence

YouUse can use the pre-application advice service to makefind sureout yourthe licencelikelihood applicationof isgetting correct.a licence, what restrictions it may have and what you need to send with your application.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
1 April 2022
Last updated
223 DecemberJuly 20222023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Before you apply for an abstraction or impounding licence, you should:

1. Check if you need an abstraction licence or impounding licence. If you are still unsure you can userequest enhanced pre-application advice.

2. Check how much water is available in your area from the water abstraction licensing strategies.

3. Use the Environment Agency’s pre-application advice service to make an informed choice on whether to apply. You can get:

  • basic advice – this service is free
  • enhanced advice – you pay for this service

Basic advice

You can get free basic pre-application advice on:

  • the type of licence you need
  • which application forms you should use
  • what guidance you must follow
  • the administrative tasks theyou Environment Agency may need you to do as part of your application
  • where to find the application and annual charges

Enhanced (paid-for) advice

IfGetting youin-depth needadvice morefrom in-depththe advice,enhanced theadvice Environmentservice Agencywill offershelp anyou enhancedknow:

  • if pre-applicationyou adviceare service.likely Asto wellget asa thelicence
  • what informationrestrictions youyour canlicence getmay throughhave
  • how theto freesubmit service,a thisgood quality application

The service could cover advice on:

  • complexinformation modellingyou forwill certainneed groundwaterto scenariosinclude with your application
  • assessments or monitoring requirementsyou (includingmay baseline)need to complete or significant issues you may need to resolve before applying, for example, impacts on fish or eels, existing abstractors, geomorphology or the ecological status of a waterbody under the Water Framework Directive
  • complexwhat important hydrological information you need to provide with your application chargeand questions
  • publicwhat engagementinformation plansthe forEnvironment highAgency publiccan interestgive applicationsyou
  • requirementscomplex ofapplications, such as high public interest, nationally significant infrastructure projects

The

  • possible Environmentrestrictions, Agencyfor willexample tellon when you whatcan kindabstract and monitoring requirements
  • complex application charge questions
  • complex modelling for certain groundwater scenarios, including analysis of advicegroundwater theyinvestigation canconsent giveresults
  • whether you need a licence if you are still not sure after you requesthave help.

    used the check if you need an abstraction licence or impounding licence guidance

    • How much it costs

    The enhanced service costs £100 an hour plus VAT.

    YouHow willlong getit awill writtentake estimateto beforeprepare the advice will depend on how complex your proposal is.

    The Environment Agency startswill workdiscuss on your request.proposal with you and give you a written cost estimate. This will include:

    • a list of the work they will carry out, with costsout
    • when you will be charged

    If you (or someone else on your behalf) send new information related to your request, the Environment Agency may need to revise the cost estimate. They will write to you to agree:

    • agree any changes to the scopeamount of the work
    • the they will carry out.

      You need to agree to any cost estimate

    estimates in writing before the Environment Agency can start work on your application.

    What the service cannot help with

    The pre-application advice service cannot:

    • provide you with written confirmation to say that you do not need a licence
    • confirm that all or part of your licence application will be acceptable before you have applied

    Hydropower
  • confirm schemes

    • There’sthat different guidance if you wantwill pre-applicationget advice for a hydropowerlicence scheme.

    Beforewhen you contactapply
  • plan theor service

    • First,design checkyour if you need an abstraction licencescheme

  • carry orout impoundinghydrological licence.

    Ifmonitoring youfor want to abstract groundwater from a borehole or well you should check if you need to applyprovide forthis consentwith toyour investigateapplication

    • Request apre-application groundwater source before you apply for a licence. You may need to apply for a separate consent to construct the borehole or well and complete a test pumping of it.

    advice

    BeforeTo youget askpre-application foradvice licence application advice, you should gather:for:

    Request

    For pre-applicationall advice

    Useother proposals use the relevant application forms and guidance notes to ask for pre-application advice. For:

    • abstraction, complete part A and part B
    • impounding, complete part A and part D

    SayThe whetherforms youexplain wantwhere basicto orsend enhancedthe adviceinformation.

    Contact whenthe youEnvironment fillAgency

    General inenquiries

    National partCustomer A.

    TheContact formsCentre explain
    PO whereBox to544
    Rotherham
    S60 send1BY

    Email theenquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

    Telephone information.03708 506 506

    You

    Telephone mayfrom haveoutside tothe giveUK hydrological(Monday informationto whenFriday, you8am applyto for6pm aGMT) licence.+44 You(0) can114 check282 the5312

    Monday importantto hydrologicalFriday, information8am to give.6pm.

    Published 1 April 2022
    Last updated 223 DecemberJuly 20222023 + show all updates

    1. Explained what you need to do before you request pre-application advice. Explained how the enhanced service can help you decide whether to apply for a licence and what to include with your application. Set out where to get pre-application advice for hydropower, heat pumps and abstracting groundwater activities.

    2. Added a link to new guidance 'apply for consent to investigate a groundwater source'.

    3. First published.

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