Our IQ Academy webinar for October reviewed the transitional arrangements & new requirements for abstraction licensing with James Dodds of Envireau Water. We took a look at what has been learned so far this year and focused on what you need to do NOW to make sure that you hit the looming deadlines. James is a nationally recognised expert in water management and water resources hydrogeology, particularly within the minerals, agricultural/horticultural and water bottling sectors, as well as the onshore oil and gas sector, and has a reputation for his tenacity with regulatory systems. James’ professional career started in 1986 working on waste and mineral projects in the UK, before moving to South Africa in 1988. There he spent 4 years principally working on a wide range of projects in the mining industry, related both to water resources and geotechnical hydrogeology. With the same company, James returned to the UK, and spent the following 6 years progressing to Principal level. During this time, he worked on a wide range of mining projects in Europe, Africa, CIS and the Middle East, as well as developing projects in the UK within the minerals sector. In 1998, James formed Envireau Water. The respective links within the slides are available below: Slide 15 (Evidence): https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/682412/New_authorisations_evidence_guide.pdf Slide 17 (EA Messages): sam.cutler@environment-agency.gov.uk & kate.johnson1@environment-agency.gov.uk Slide 20 (KISS): https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/682412/New_authorisations_evidence_guide.pdf Slide 23 (Application Forms): Environment Agency https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-forms-new-abstraction-licence-for-a-currently-exempt-abstraction Natural Resources Wales https://naturalresources.wales/permits-and-permissions/water-abstraction-and-impoundment/changes-to-water-abstraction-licensing-exemptions/?lang=en

2. Welcome
Housekeeping
Upcoming IQ branch events

3. Uncover more at quarrying.org/iq-events

4. Upcoming branch events
Derbyshire 9th November
20th November
Annual Dinner Dance at the Palace Hotel, Buxton
A geotechnical Clinic by QNJAC at Buxton RFC (8am)
Devon & Cornwall 20th November TBC
Lancashire 13th November Effective Isolation by Rock & Road Training
Northern Ireland 5th November Technical Evening - Promoting your Business
by Alexander Boyd Displays
North Wales 24th November
27th November
Ladies Evening at The Royal Oak, Betws-y-Coed
Demolition by Robyn Rushworth, PEC Ltd
Scottish 13th November Technical Evening - Statutory Inspections
by Raymond Jackson, Allianz
South Wales 14th November Technical Evening - 21st Century Pumping Techniques
by Nathan Rowles of Atlantic Pumps
West of England 12th November Hinckley Point Update - Stewart Cameron of Hanson
Yorkshire 13th November
27th November
Technical Evening - Deposit for Recovery Vs Inert Landfill
by Maggie Dutton of SLR Consulting
Plant tour of Caterpillar, Peterlee
(Dump truck factory and test ground)
Branch contact details are available at quarrying.org

5. REMOVAL OF THE
DEWATERING
EXEMPTIONS
where are we now?
James Dodds CGeol FGS MIQ

6. • Some Background
• Transition Arrangements & New Activities
• Application Process
• Transition Process
• Evidence
• Some EA Messages
• Some KISSing
WHAT I WILL TALK ABOUT

7. • These are my thoughts
• The madder the thought, the more it is mine
• If I misrepresent anyone or anything then I’m
sorry
• What I say today may not be an Envireau Ltd
company view
• What I say shouldn’t be taken as advice as every
site is different
• OK with that?
DISCLAIMER

8. • All began in about 1998
• Talked about seriously early 2000’s
• Water Act 2003 introduced it
• “It’s 6 months away”
• 31st October 2017 … “you have 2 months!”
• 1st January 2018 … Implemented
HISTORY

9. • Government response to consultation on
changes to water abstraction licensing
exemptions in England and Wales: New
Authorisations
• The Water Act 2003 (Commencement No. 12)
Order 2017
• The Water Abstraction (Transitional Provisions)
Regulations 2017
THE REGULATIONS

10. TYPES OF LICENCES
• Full Licence
o To abstract more than 20 cubic metres of
water a day
o Protected rights
• Transfer Licence
o Transfer water from one “source of supply” to
another without intervening use
• Temporary Licence
o To abstract for 28 days

11. TRANSITION ARRANGEMENTS
& NEW ACTIVITIES
• If you have started a new dewatering activity since the 1st January
2018 you must apply for a licence ASAP
• If you do not have a licence you are operating illegally
• You have now had 10 months to do something & time is slipping away
Transitional New
• Any dewatering activity where you
can demonstrate, with evidence, that
dewatering has taken place within
the past 7 years
• New sites where dewatering has not
taken place prior to 31/12/2017
• Dormant sites where dewatering has
not taken place within the past 7
years
• Extensions to sites where the
dewatering activity will increase
above what it was previously (within
the 7 year period)

12. THE APPLICATION PROCESS
• The EA and NRW have been directed by government to
take a “Light touch, risk based” approach!
Applications for transitional licences should be
submitted by 07/2019 to allow the EA/NRW
enough time to determine they are valid
31/12/22
31/12/19
1/1/2018
All licences determined and
issued
Transitional application
window opened
Transitional application
window legally ends
TIMELINE

13. TRANSITION PROCESS
Evidence of
dewatering within
the past 7 years?
Yes- Submit
transitional licence
application
Validated by
EA/NRW
EA/NRW issue a
receipt for a valid
application
EA/NRW may
request additional
evidence before
validation
EA/NRW may ask
for further
information
The EA/NRW
determine all
applic’s from Jan
2020 to evaluate
the impact of all
Between 2020 &
end 2022 EA/NRW
will issue licences,
starting with the
most complex

14. EVIDENCE
• EA list of evidence that can be used
o Meter readings
o Physical dimensions of a transfer channel (no
control) [and calculated flows]
o Physical dimensions of a transfer pipe (appropriately
sized and positioned) [and calculated flows]
o Flow rates for abstraction equipment / pumps &
pumping hours

15. EVIDENCE
• EA list of evidence that can be used
o Outputs from QA systems or Abstraction
Programming Systems
o Other justified & appropriate data
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads
/attachment_data/file/682412/New_authorisations_evide
nce_guide.pdf

16. EVIDENCE
• The single biggest issue at the moment is
getting evidence from sites!
• You HAVE got evidence
• Take time to think it through
• Draw a site water flow process sketch
• It’s easier than you think

17. EA MESSAGES
• Sam Cutler and Kate Johnson are the lead
officers in the EA NPS team (based in Solihull),
are available to answer any queries prior to
submitting an application (at the moment)
sam.cutler@environment-agency.gov.uk
kate.johnson1@environment-agency.gov.uk
• Evidence of abstraction is the poorest/most time
consuming part of applications

18. EA MESSAGES
• Historical vs planned abstraction is assessed on a
case-by-case basis. EA are getting better at doing
this. Understanding the groundwater movements
are key to teasing these issues apart
• Clear, simple site water management flow
diagrams are welcomed and help the EA
understand the types of licences required

19. KISS

20. KISS
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/sy
stem/uploads/attachment_data/file/682412/
New_authorisations_evidence_guide.pdf

21. • All abstraction >20m3/day (nearly) will require a
licence of one type or another. This is the time
to tidy up your licensing
• If you think that there is no groundwater
entering your quarry (the water pumped is just
rainfall) then you don’t need a transfer licence
• If you think that this is relevant seek advice
NOTE

22. ACT NOW

23. APPLICATION FORMS
https://www.gov.uk/government/publication
s/application-forms-new-abstraction-
licence-for-a-currently-exempt-abstraction
Environment Agency
Natural Resources Wales
https://naturalresources.wales/permits-and-
permissions/water-abstraction-and-
impoundment/changes-to-water-
abstraction-licensing-exemptions/?lang=en

24. GET IN TOUCH
www.envireauwater.co.uk
james@envireauwater.co.uk
01332 871 882

25. visit quarrying.org/iq-events for more information &
registration.
Thank you for joining us, details of our next webinar are below