Licence granted despite opposition
Thames Water's licence to pump 639 million litres of water from the River Kennet each year has been renewed
THE Environment Agency (EA) has renewed Thames Water's license, allowing the firm to pump 639 million litres of water from the River Kennet each year, despite nearly 200 written objections to the application.
Thames Water, which abstracts the equivalent of 21 Olympic-sized swimming pools from a source at Axford, Wiltshire, has had its license extend until March 2013.
Following the announcement, the water company reiterated its intent to build a £10m pipe line to route water from Farmoor reservoir, north of Swindon and supplied by the River Thames, to ease environmental pressure on the River Kennet.
The project will go ahead should the EA grant Thames Water £10m through its compensation scheme.
Steve Tuck, Thames Water's abstraction manager, said: “We are pleased to have been granted a short term extension to the timing of our existing abstraction licence, which we need in order to maintain water supplies for our customers while we develop the solution we know is required.
“We agree with the Environment Agency and with wildlife campaigners, including Action for the River Kennet, that we must reduce our reliance on the Kennet .
“But until the £10m of funding is secured from the Environment Agency compensation scheme to build the pipeline to take Farmoor water to south Swindon, we cannot reduce our reliance on the Axford source.”
Richard Crowe, a spokesman for the Environment Agency who said it received 190 objections to the proposal and one in support, said: “Based on the law, abstractors are entitled to claim compensation money from us if we reduce or revoke an abstraction licence for environmental reasons.
“Each year a small proportion of the abstraction charges that we collect are set aside in a dedicated compensation fund to pay for any compensation claims. However, we cannot reduce or revoke the abstraction licence until we have enough funds available to pay any compensation claim.”
