United Utilities has applied to the Environment Agency for three abstraction licences as part of a programme to help restore sustainable abstraction, protect the water environment from serious damage and reduce the risk to the Ehen Special Area of Conservation.

The first application is for a new full licence to abstract water from groundwater to offset the loss of water arising from the second and third applications below.

The application is to abstract water for public water supply as follows all year round.:

• 11,000 cubic metres a day
• 3,650,000 cubic metres a year

The second application is to vary a licence which authorises the abstraction of water from Ennerdale Water and currently allows the water company to abstract water as follows:

• 3,310 cubic metres of water per hour
• 79,550 cubic metres per day
• And a total of 25,000,000 cubic metres per year

The variation is to reduce the volume authorised to be abstracted to:

• 3,310 cubic metres per hour
• 47,420 cubic metres per day
• 11,338,000 cubic metres per year in total between this licence and the first application.

The third application is to vary a licence to obstruct or impede the flow of Ennerdale Water.The licence requires United Utilities to release a compensation flow of 31,822 cubic metres per day from Ennerdale Lake to the River Ehen. The variation is to increase the required compensation flow to a minimum of between 60,000 and 80,000 cubic metres per day depending on the level of water in Ennerdale Water.