anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
Foreword
Foreword
Foreword
This report is Anglian Water’s Drought Plan 2014 that has been prepared in response to
comments received following public consultation. The Drought Plan 2014 replaces our
previous Drought Plan 2008.
The Plan has been agreed with the Environment Agency and was approved for publication
by the Secretary of State on 22 July 2014. It provides an overview on how we propose
manage water resources during a drought to protect public water supplies, whilst minimising
any environmental impacts that may arise as a result of our activities. We will prepare and
publish a revised plan no later than 22 August 2019 or sooner if there has been a material
change of circumstances, or if we are so directed by the Secretary of State.
For further information please visit our website
www.anglianwater.co.uk
We would welcome your feedback.
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Drought Plan 2014
Contents
Executive Summary
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Part One
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Drought Plan Framework
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Purpose of Plan
1.3 Regulatory Framework
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Part Two
2
Regional Overview
2.1 Anglian Water Overview
2.2 Water Resource Planning
2.3 Levels of Service
2.4 Bulk Supply Agreements and Inset Appointments
2.5 Drought Management and Investment to Date
2.5.1 Pre-privatisation
2.5.2 Post-privatisation
2.5.3 Lessons Identified from Previous Droughts
2.5.4 Lessons Identified from the 2011-12 Drought
2.6 Testing the Drought Plan
2.7 Assessing the Impact of Long Duration Drought and Climate
Change
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Part Three
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Drought Management Strategy
3.1 Drought Management Process
3.2 Management Actions during Normal (non-drought) Conditions
3.3 Recognising the start of a Drought
3.4 Management Actions during Potential Drought Conditions
3.5 Management Actions during Drought Conditions
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Drought Triggers and Scenarios
4.1 Reservoirs
4.1.1 Reservoir Control Curves
4.1.2 Normal Operating Curve
4.1.3 Drought Management Curves
4.1.4 Variations to Drought Management on Reservoir Control Curves
4.2 Direct Supply River Intakes
4.3 Groundwater systems
4.3.1 Drought Vulnerable Groundwater Sources
4.3.2 Groundwater Drought Alert Curves
4.4 Scenario Modelling
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Drought Forecasting
5.1 Reservoir Drought Forecasting
5.2 Direct River Intake Drought Forecasting
5.3 Groundwater Source Drought Forecasting
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Contents
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Drought Measures to Manage Supply and Demand
6.1 Overview
6.2 Demand Side Management Actions
6.2.1 Publicity Campaigns
6.2.2 Meter Optants
6.2.3 Leakage
6.2.4 Temporary Water Use (Hosepipe) Bans (Level of Service 1)
6.2.5 Non-Essential Use Ban Restrictions (Levels of Service 2)
6.2.6 Emergency Drought Order (Level of Service 3)
6.2.7 Other Demand Management Options
6.3 Supply Side Management Actions
6.3.1 Drought Management Actions for Reservoirs
6.3.2 Drought Management Actions for Direct Intakes
6.3.3 Drought Management Actions for Groundwater Sources
6.4 Drought Permits and Drought Orders
6.5 Additional Supply Side Management Options
6.5.1 Management of Inter-Company Transfers
6.5.2 Alternative Options
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Minimising the Impact of Drought on the Environment
7.1 Environmental Assessments
7.2 Environmental Monitoring Plan
7.3 Data Provision
7.4 Habitats Directive and Countryside Right of Way Act
7.5 Strategic Environment Assessment
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Drought Management and Communications Plan
8.1 Management Structure - Drought Management Team
8.2 Internal Drought Management - Emergency Planning
8.3 External Drought Management
8.4 Communications Plan
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Post Drought Actions
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Glossary
Glossary
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Drought Plan 2014
Appendices
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Appendix 1: Resource Zone Characteristics and Drought Measures
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Appendix 2: Drought Plan Demand-Side Drought Management Options
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Appendix 3: Drought Plan Supply-Side Drought Management Options
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Appendix 4: Drought Management for Anglian Water Reservoirs
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Appendix 5: Drought Management for Anglian Water Direct Supply River Intakes 126
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Appendix 6: Drought Management for Anglian Water Groundwater Sources
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Appendix 7: Drought Plan Environmental Assessments
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Appendix 8: Drought Plan Environmental Assessment Monitoring Plan
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Appendix 9: Drought Communications Strategy
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Appendix 10: Temporary Use Restrictions - Representation
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Drought Plan 2014
Contents
List of figures
Figure 1 Anglian Water Resource Zones
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Figure 2 Map of conservation sites across the Anglian region
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Figure 3 Map of Anglian Water Sources
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Figure 4 Distribution input for the Anglian region 1985-2013
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Figure 5 2015 WRMP Baseline Average Supply Demand Balance
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2039-40
Figure 6 Selected 25 year 2015 WRMP options
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Figure 7 Transfers, existing trades and trades considered in the 2015
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WRMP
Figure 8 Pre-Privatisation drought investment
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Figure 9 Post-privatisation drought investment
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Figure 10 Severe drought project: reservoir simulation, 1801-2003,
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under Anglian Water levels of service
Figure 11 Modelled vs Observed Hydrographs for the period of borehole
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monitoring
Figure 12 Box plots showing the impacts of climate change on surface
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water reservoir yields
Figure 13 Impact of Climate Change on groundwater Yield for Five
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Sources at risk of loss of DO across full range in scenarios
Figure 14 Drought management process
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Figure 15 Anglian region cumulative rainfall for 18 month periods
starting in October in each year from 1899 to 2013 (dashed grey lines
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are upper (2000-02) and lower (1920-22) bounds; dashed orange line
is 1975-77; red line is 2010-12 )
Figure 16 Example of reservoir control and trigger curves
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Figure 17 UKWIR summary diagram for drought vulnerable groundwater
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sources
Figure 18 Drought vulnerable groundwater sources
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Figure 19 Map of Environment Agency monitoring boreholes
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Figure 20 Groundwater drought curve based on actual historical
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recession
Figure 21 Recorded flows at Duston vs the model inflows for 'average'
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and 'dry' scenarios
Figure 22 Pitsford Reservoir storage projection - 2011
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Figure 23 Flow categories, pumping constraints and recorded flows in
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the River Wensum
Figure 24 GWLF forecast of groundwater levels in the Central
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Lincolnshire Limestone
Figure 25 Water supplied 1963 to 2012
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Figure 26 Potential target zones for accelerating enhanced metering
and water efficiency measures (based on the Environment Agency's
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assessment of areas drought risk in June 2011)
Figure 27 Overview of the approach for stages A1 and A2 of the
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assessment of environmental risk
Figure 28 Drought Governance Structure
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Figure 29 RZ and Local Authority Boundaries
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
2
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Anglian Water’s Drought Plan 2014 has been produced to comply with the statutory
requirements introduced in the Water Act 2003, the Drought Plan Direction 2011 and
Environment Agency guidelines. The purpose of our drought plan is to demonstrate how
we will protect public water supplies during a drought, whilst minimising any potential
environmental impacts that may arise as a result of our activities. The Plan has been prepared
in response to comments received following public consultation and has been agreed with
the Environment Agency.
We supply water and wastewater services to 5.5 million people in the Anglian region and in
the Hartlepool Water supply area. We operate eight raw water storage reservoirs which,
along with eight direct supply river intakes, provide 50 per cent of the water supply across
our region. The remaining 50 per cent is provided by groundwater abstracted from 200
sources, and 450 operational boreholes.
The Anglian region is the driest region of England and our drought plan draws on extensive
experience of managing four drought periods since privatisation in 1989, including the recent
experiences from 2011-12. Prior to the 2011-12 drought event, we had invested in the region
of £100 million to improve the resilience of our water supply system against severe drought
events. In response to the 2011-12 event, we identified a £63 million programme of capital
investment to 2015, which will protect customers’ supplies further.
The lessons that we have identified from our response to previous droughts have helped to
shape our drought plan. We are confident that the drought management actions we propose
are robust enough to maintain public water supplies during periods of low rainfall.
Section 2 provides further detail regarding how we manage water resources across the
region and our experience from previous droughts.
Every drought varies in terms of its location, intensity, duration and impact. Our drought
plan sets out the management actions that we will take before, during and after a drought.
The drought plan is not strategic but outlines a framework for managing a drought were it
to occur under present circumstances with existing infrastructure. Our drought management
process is laid out in the following flow chart which also sign-posts the relevant sections of
the Plan.
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Drought Plan 2014
Section 3 provides further detail about our drought management strategy and the
processes that we have in place to maintain security of supplies to our customers as
we move from normal through to drought conditions.
Continuous monitoring of rainfall, river flows, reservoir storage and groundwater levels is
key to helping us identify the onset of a drought. We have developed a range of hydrological
triggers that provide us with sufficient lead time to deploy a variety of drought management
measures as drought conditions prevail.
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Section 4 describes the triggers that we have developed for our reservoir, direct river
intakes and drought vulnerable groundwater sources.
Section 5 describes how we forecast the likely impact of drought upon our sources
under our current operating system.
We assess the risk of drought against an analysis of how much water is reliably available
during the worst recorded historical drought conditions. This defines the yields of our
reservoirs, direct river intakes and groundwater sources that are used to maintain a secure
balance between the availability of water supplies and the demand from our customers.
We define the yield of our reservoirs in relation to the frequency that we would seek to impose
water supply restrictions. We define these as our current levels of service as follows:
Temporary use restrictions, no more than once in every 10 years.
A ban on non-essential water use which may also impact commercial customers, no
more than once in every 40 years.
Provision of standpipes and use of rota-cuts, no more than once every 100 years.
Through historic and recent investment to secure our vulnerable groundwater sources and
our direct abstraction river intakes against drought, customers supplied from these sources
receive a higher level of service than customers who depend on supplies from reservoirs.
Consultation and discussion at national and regional level during the 2011-12 drought
highlighted that it is no longer acceptable to include a planned level of service that may result
in the imposition of standpipes or rota cuts for our customers. In response to this, and the
consultation for our latest water resources management plan, we will start work in 2015 on
the detailed design, planning and further consultation for a new raw water transfer from the
River Trent to enhance the levels of service in our Ruthamford supply system.
Due to the combined pressures of climate change, population growth and environmental
regulation on resources in this water stressed region, we have a long history of talking to
our customers about water conservation. Our Love Every Drop campaign is our strategy to
raise the awareness about how important water is to life, to people, to the environment and
to a growing economy. As drought conditions prevail, we will continue to build on this
messaging with our customers, and our regulators, to ensure that we take appropriate actions
as a rainfall deficit accumulates. We will follow our drought communications strategy as the
situation deteriorates.
During the 2011-12 drought, the Secretary of State set up the National Drought Group in
which Anglian Water took a leading role. This provided a single coherent, cross-sector team,
which was able to manage co-ordinated delivery of drought management activities,
communications and risk management. In addition, and together with the Environment
Agency, we led several national events to encourage the industry and our regulators to
understand the true impacts of drought and ensure better preparedness in the future. The
level of collaboration and co-operation within the water sector was high during this drought.
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
The cornerstone of our long-term water resources management strategy continues to be a
twin-track approach of promoting demand management in parallel with measures to secure
resources in order to maintain our supply-demand balance.
Section 6 outlines the demand side measures that we will impose during a drought
including the new powers to restrict domestic hosepipe use.
During a drought we would increase our demand management activities through enhanced
customer communications, water-efficiency promotions, metering and enhanced leakage
detection.
We recognise, however, that there will be occasions during certain drought conditions when
restrictions on customer use will be required to reduce demand further. In addition to
increasing our activity in these areas, we will also look to implement restrictions on customer
use through application of the new powers afforded to water companies under the Water
Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010. These new powers would primarily affect domestic
customers, and allow us to restrict private use of all hosepipe activity, without the need to
apply to the Secretary of State for a drought order. We will consult widely and will allow
sufficient time for representations to be made before imposing any such restrictions on our
customers.
Section 6 also details the supply side management options that we have developed for
our drought vulnerable sources including the use of drought permits and drought orders.
On the supply side, we would seek to optimise the conjunctive use of groundwater and
surface water sources, and review trading opportunities with our neighbouring water
companies, as the drought develops. During the 2011-12 drought, we identified investment
opportunities to accelerate some supply-demand schemes to commission a number of our
licensed abstraction sources. Where necessary we can apply for drought permits or drought
orders to amend the conditions of our abstraction licences to help us to secure the availability
of water during a period of exceptional shortage of rain. In our planning we have included
the provision of drought permits for seven of our surface water sources where we feel that
intakes may be vulnerable to drought impacts.
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Drought Plan 2014
Section 7 provides detail of the assessments that we have undertaken to minimise the
environmental impacts of our drought management actions.
To ensure any environmental impacts are minimised, we have completed a full update and
have improved the environmental assessment for each source where a permit may be
required. These also include a Habitats Directive Assessment in accordance with regulatory
requirements. We are confident that our proposed drought actions will not have any significant
impact on any internationally designated conservation sites. This revised drought plan has
been subjected to further assessment under the Strategic Environmental Assessment
Directive and this is available under separate cover.
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We have included an environmental monitoring plan to identify the important baseline
information required to support any future applications for drought permits.
Section 8 describes our drought management structure and provides detail of the
communication plan we would follow during a drought.
We will review our drought plan on an annual basis and will complete a full revision no later
than five years after publication of this plan, in accordance with guidance, or sooner if there
has been a material change of circumstances or as so directed by the Secretary of State.
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Drought Plan 2014
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Drought management process
Part One
Drought Plan Framework
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Part One
Drought Plan Framework
1 Drought Plan Framework
Part one of our drought plan details the form of the plan and the key issues that it is
setting out to address.
It describes the purpose of the plan and the regulatory framework under which it has
been developed.
It also provides details of the consultation process and invites feedback.
1.1 Introduction
There is a statutory requirement for all water companies to prepare and maintain a drought
plan that sets out how we will maintain the water supply to our customers during periods of
low rainfall when supply becomes depleted.
This is Anglian Water’s Drought Plan 2014 that has been prepared in response to public
consultation and replaces our Drought Plan 2008.
This is the fourth formal drought plan that we have produced since the first in 2000. This
plan has been prepared following the Environment Agency’s ‘Water Company Drought Plan
Guideline’ (as updated in June 2011). In accordance with the guidelines, we completed
pre-consultation with key stakeholders and have sought approval from the Secretary of State
for publication.
This drought plan has been developed to provide an overview on how we propose to manage
water resources during a drought. It is consistent with our published Water Resources
Management Plan 2015 which sets out how we intend to secure water supply over the next
25 years.
The drought plan covers the Anglian Water region and includes the Hartlepool Water supply
area, as shown in Figure 1.
Our Drought Plan 2014 is structured in three parts:
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Drought Plan 2014
Part one: the drought planning framework.
Part two: a regional overview.
Part three: our drought management strategy.
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Figure 1 Anglian Water Resource Zones
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Part One
Drought Plan Framework
1.2 Purpose of Plan
Our drought plan has been developed in accordance with the requirements of the Water
Industry Act 1991 to describe how we as a ‘water undertaker will continue, during a period
of drought, to discharge our duties to supply adequate quantities of wholesome water, with
as little recourse as reasonably possible to drought orders or drought permits'. The purpose
of our drought plan is, therefore, to protect public water supplies whilst minimising any
environmental impacts that may arise, as a result of our activities, during a prolonged period
of low rainfall.
Every water company in England and Wales is required, by law, to prepare and maintain a
statutory drought plan. Whilst drought plans are prepared in accordance with prescribed
guidelines, they will each be different due to the different supply system characteristics of
each water company. We will always seek to work together with other water companies,
and especially with our neighbouring companies, to ensure that during times of drought we
provide a clear message to our customers. This is especially important during times when
we may need to impose water use restrictions, as our customers experienced during the
2011-12 drought . The legislation governing how a water company may impose a hosepipe
ban changed in 2010 and we have consulted as an industry to ensure a consistent
interpretation of the new powers. However, customers should recognise that approaches
to demand management will vary between different companies. We describe our approach
further in Section 6.2.4.
Each drought varies in terms of intensity, duration, geographical coverage and impact. Our
drought plan draws on previous experience in our region, alongside the direction and guidance
from Government and the Environment Agency. We have reviewed the measures that we
have in place to maintain secure water supplies during the worst recorded droughts for all
of our water sources. The plan sets out the management actions that we will take before,
during and after a drought. The drought plan is not strategic but outlines a framework for
managing a drought were it to occur under present circumstances with existing infrastructure.
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Drought Plan 2014
The Environment Agency is responsible for producing its own drought plan to protect the
environment, water abstractors and the interests of other users of the environment. Both
the Environment Agency's Anglian Region and Yorkshire and North East Region drought
plans were out for consultation in 2011 and the final plans are available on its website. This
endorses how the Environment Agency and water companies will actively work together to
manage a drought. The Environment Agency has a duty for long-term water resources
planning and is a statutory consultee in the development and review of both our water
resources management plan and drought plan. Our Drought Plan 2014 is consistent with
the Environment Agency's Anglian Region Drought Plan 2011 and has many synergies in
terms of hydrological and environmental monitoring, triggers and communications strategies.
It should be recognised that a water resources drought will usually only develop after several
months of below-average rainfall. This is different from an agricultural drought when
unseasonably dry soils may arise from only weeks of dry weather over the growing season.
It is possible, therefore, that the Environment Agency may choose to announce that the
region is in drought due to wider environmental concerns, as opposed to a concern over the
security of public water supplies. We recognise that this can cause some confusion with
our customers and we will continue to work closely with the Environment Agency during
such times to explain and clarify our individual roles and responsibilities.
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The effectiveness of our management in previous droughts can be measured by the adoption
of timely measures and responses that have enabled us to maintain the security of public
water supplies. We believe that this current drought plan provides a robust approach to
drought management and we are confident that it provides the flexibility we require to maintain
future public water supplies.
1.3 Regulatory Framework
Drought plans are a statutory requirement under Section 39B of the Water Industry Act 1991,
as amended by the Water Act 2003. Our Drought Plan 2014 has been prepared in line with
the legal framework for drought planning as set out in:
Water Industry Act 1991.
Water Act 2003.
Drought Plan Direction 2011.
Drought Plan Regulations 2005.
Drought Direction 2011.
Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010.
Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programme Regulations 2004; from Strategic.
Environmental Assessment Directive 2001.
Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010.
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way
Act 2000.
We assessed all representations that were made on the draft Drought Plan 2013 and
produced our Statement of Response as directed by the Secretary of State. We received
direction to publish our final plan on 22 July 2014.
We are confident that, in following the Environment Agency’s guidelines, we have met the
requirements of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 and have fully
complied with the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive 2001.
We provide further justification for this in Section 7.
In accordance with Section 39B of the Water Industry Act 1991 and the Drought Plan Direction
2011 our drought plan is structured to addresses the following:
Monitoring the effects of drought – see Section 3.
Demand and supply side triggers and options – see Section 4.
New powers on temporary bans on water use as introduced by the Water Use
(Temporary Bans) Order 2010 – see Section 6.
Drought permits and approvals – see Section 6.
Environmental monitoring and mitigation – see section 7
Mitigation or compensation necessary for the implementation of drought management
measures – see Section 7.
The management structure during drought – see Section 8.
Liaison with regulators, customers and other stakeholders – see Section 8.
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Part One
Drought Plan Framework
In accordance with the Security and Measures Direction 1998 (SEMD), the drought plan has
been formally reviewed by an independent SEMD certifier who has provided a certified
statement of compliance. This confirms that our Drought Plan 2014 meets the requirements
of ‘The Control of Sensitive Water Company Information – Advice Note 11 Edition 1,’ as
published by Defra in November 2006.
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Drought Plan 2014
The Water Act 2014 contains provisions that amends the drought plan requirements in the
Water industry Act 1991. Section 28(4) of the Water Act 2014 was commenced on 14 July
2014, so that in accordance with section 39(6) of the Water Industry Act 1991, we are required
to prepare and publish a revised plan by 22 August 2019, or sooner if there has been a
material change of circumstances or as directed by the Secretary of State.
Part Two
Regional Overview
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Part Two
Regional Overview
2 Regional Overview
Part two of our drought plan provides an overview of how we manage water resources
in our region and how we have successfully managed droughts to date.
We describe the significant investments that we have made during previous droughts
and highlight some of our learning from these droughts.
In this section we describe how we are looking forward and developing strategies to
secure our supplies through more severe multi-season droughts in the future.
2.1 Anglian Water Overview
Anglian Water currently provides water or wastewater services to 5.5 million people and
125,000 businesses in the east of England and the town of Hartlepool in the north-east.
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The region we supply, in the East of England, covers 22,000km and is bounded to the south
by the River Thames, to the north by the Humber Estuary and extends west to Northampton
and Milton Keynes. Predominantly flat and rural, we are located in the driest region of the
country and have one of the fastest rates of housing growth. The Environment Agency has
assessed the region as being in ‘serious water stress’ and, in addition, it is recognised as
being particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The region is characterised
by a high number of water-dependent designated conservation sites (see Figure 2) and we
work closely with the Environment Agency to manage the associated environmental pressures.
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Drought Plan 2014
On average the Anglian region receives approximately 600mm of rainfall each year, which
is just two-thirds of the average for England and Wales as a whole. In an average year only
a quarter of the rainfall is available as a water resource after evaporation and use by plants.
Long dry summers, during which evaporation exceeds rainfall, are a normal part of the
climate in this region. Therefore effective water resource planning and drought management
is vital to ensure that we achieve and maintain the security of our public water supplies during
drought events and peak demands, whilst taking due consideration of any associated
environmental concerns.
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Figure 2 Map of conservation sites across the Anglian region
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Part Two
Regional Overview
In the west of our region, the water supply is principally from the large pumped raw water
storage reservoirs of Rutland Water, Grafham Water and Pitsford Reservoir. In total, we
operate eight raw water storage reservoirs which, along with eight direct supply river intakes,
provide 50 per cent of our water supply across the region. The remaining 50 per cent is
provided by groundwater abstracted from 200 sources comprising 450 operational boreholes.
We abstract groundwater from several major aquifers, each of which will respond differently
in a drought.
The North and North-East region, which includes the Hartlepool Water supply area, has a
higher average annual rainfall of around 750mm. In Hartlepool we abstract water from the
deeply confined aquifer of the Magnesian Limestone. Historically, there have been no
reported issues with low rainfall conditions affecting the availability of supplies.
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Drought Plan 2014
Further detail of our surface water and groundwater sources are provided in Section 4. The
location of our abstraction sources are shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 Map of Anglian Water Sources
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2.2 Water Resource Planning
Anglian Water has developed a robust long-term water resource strategy to meet the
key challenges we face in our region including high population growth, climate change
and increasing environmental pressures.
Our water resources and supply systems have been developed over the last 150 years to
meet increasing demands for water and to cope with severe droughts. This has been
achieved through the construction of strategic storage reservoirs with long retention periods
to support the local groundwater supplies. The volume of water that we have supplied to
our customers (referred to as distribution input) on a daily basis since 1985, is presented in
Figure 4.
DISTRIBUTION INPUT
(Including non potable & Exceptions)
1400.00
1350.00
1300.00
Ml/d
1250.00
1200.00
1150.00
1100.00
1050.00
1000.00
Apr-13
Apr-12
Apr-11
Apr-10
Apr-09
Apr-08
Apr-07
Apr-06
Apr-05
Apr-04
Apr-03
Apr-02
Apr-01
Apr-00
Apr-99
Apr-98
Apr-97
Apr-96
Apr-95
Apr-94
Apr-93
Apr-92
Apr-91
Apr-90
Apr-89
Apr-88
Apr-87
Apr-86
Apr-85
Figure 4 Distribution input for the Anglian region 1985-2013
Parts of the region are well served through the interconnection of strategic trunk water mains,
adding to the security and flexibility of the system. We continue to invest in the distribution
system in order to improve integration that will enable us to meet local growth in demands,
improve security and manage the deteriorating groundwater quality, notably as a result of
increasing diffuse source contaminants such as pesticide compounds and nitrates. During
the AMP5 (2010-15) investment period, we are improving the interconnectivity of our
distribution system further through the delivery of large transfer schemes from our Covenham
WTW to Boston, and Grafham WTW to Pitsford WTW. We are also evaluating options to
improve the resilience of our distribution network in South Humberside and Central
Lincolnshire.
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Part Two
Regional Overview
Every five years we publish our water resources management plan, which details how we
will maintain the security of supplies for our increasing customer base, whilst recognising
the uncertainties of the impact of climate change and environmental pressures in our region.
Our 2015 Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), as approved by Defra, details our
strategy and the investment required to maintain the balance between supply and demand
over a 25 year planning horizon. The drought plan compliments the WRMP, as it sets out
the shorter-term management actions that we will take as a drought progresses.
In our 2015 WRMP we have defined 19 resource zones (RZs) as shown in Figure 1 and
listed in Table 1. The extent of the RZs are defined by the existing water supply system and
reflect the Environment Agency’s guideline as an area where customers experience the
same risk of supply failure from a resource shortfall. The individual characteristics of each
RZ are described in Appendix 1.
Resource Zone Name
Central Lincolnshire
East Lincolnshire
West Lincolnshire
Hunstanton
Fenland
North Norfolk Coast
Norwich and the Broads
Norfolk Rural
Ely
Newmarket
Cheveley
West Suffolk
Sudbury
East Suffolk
South Essex
Central Essex
Ruthamford South
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Drought Plan 2014
Ruthamford North
Hartlepool
Table 1 Anglian Water Resource Zones
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The forecast RZ supply demand balance in 2039-40 is shown in Figure 5. Under dry year
annual average conditions and without investment to maintain the supply-demand balance,
we forecast that there will be nine RZs in deficit by 2039-40.
Figure 5 2015 WRMP Baseline Average Supply Demand Balance 2039-40
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Part Two
Regional Overview
Our water resources management strategy is based on the twin-track approach of promoting
demand management in parallel with the development of new water resources to maintain
a secure balance between supply and demand. We will always seek to invest in the most
cost-beneficial option to meet the forecast demand requirements.
We have used industry standard methodologies to review the reliable yields of all of our
sources and to calculate deployable output of all existing sourceworks for inclusion within
our 2015 WRMP. Deployable outputs are defined as being the supplies available during
the worst historical drought within the constraints of the abstraction licence conditions (as
issued by the Environment Agency); the hydrological yield, the capacity of the water treatment
works and associated plant; and any special agreements to protect the environment.
In our 2015 WRMP the demand management options include leakage reduction, pressure
management, metering, enhanced metering and water efficiency campaigns. The options
that we would seek to promote further during a drought are described further in Section 6.2.
The resource investment options that we have identified in our 2015 WRMP to maintain
secure supplies throughout the 25 year planning period are illustrated in Figure 6 (overleaf).
Our draft WRMP 2014 was used to support our business plan submission to Ofwat for the
period 2015-20 (referred to as the 'AMP6 planning period').
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Drought Plan 2014
There are clear links between our water resource planning and our drought planning as they
are both developed using our reference levels of service (see Section 2.3 for more detail)
and use a consistent yield assessment methodology in relation to maintaining the supply
demand balance. It is, however, important to appreciate that drought planning is not a
long-term water resource strategy. Its purpose is to outline our proposed short-term response
to conserving and maintaining water supplies and reducing demand experienced in periods
of drought.
21
WRMP Schemes
Key to Map:
New Water Treatment Works
New Source Works
RZ in deficit
AMP6 Sustainabilty Reduction
Schemes
Fenland RZ
Transfer
Norwich Intake
Relocation
Ruthamford North
RZ Transfer
Reduce Ruthamford
North RZ raw water
export
Water Reuse
River Lark flow
augmentation
Ruthamford North
RZ Transfer
East Suffolk RZ
transfers to West
Suffolk and
Cambridgeshire
Water Reuse
South Essex
RZ transfer
Recommission Ruthamford
South RZ reservoir
South Essex
RZ Transfer
Trade - Extension of
Ardleigh Agreement
0
5
10 15 20 25
Miles
Figure 6 Selected 25 year 2015 WRMP options
2.3 Levels of Service
Long-term water resource planning identifies the strategic investment required to maintain
our raw water supplies as assessed against the worst historical drought. With the appropriate
investment, we will continue to maintain secure supplies to our customers. Our security of
supply is assessed on an annual basis for submission to the Director General of Water
Services (the Ofwat June Return) in the form of the Security of Supply Index (SoSI). This
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index allows Ofwat to assess whether we are complying with our duty to safeguard the
security of our water supplies. SoSI is used to assess the extent to which we are able to
guarantee our planned level of service (LoS) at the end of the report year. Successful delivery
of our capital delivery programme between 2005 and 2010 (the AMP4 investment period)
including large schemes such as the new Morcott WTW at Rutland Water has meant that
we have reported a maximum SoSI score of 100 each year since 2010.
In preparing our water resources management plan, we evaluated the level of service that
we provide to our customers for the security of water supplies through a series of
consultations. Customer surveys have confirmed that it is acceptable to apply restrictions
on water supplies during a drought. A survey commissioned by the Consumer Council for
(1)
Water following the temporary use restrictions imposed by some water companies in April
2012 confirmed that 90% of customers believe that it acceptable for water companies to ask
them to reduce consumption when there is a drought. In response, we have continued to
use the level of service that we used for the calculation of surface water reservoir yields in
our previous Water Resources Plan 2004, our Drought Plan 2008 and our Strategic Direction
Strategy 2010. These are based on the reference levels first defined in the ‘Agenda for
Action’ yield review as required by the Government in 1999, and are as follows:
Level of Service 1: Temporary use restrictions not more than one in 10 years.
Level of Service 2: Use of drought orders to enforce restriction on non-essential uses
and secure raw water resources not more than one in 40 years.
Level of Service 3: Imposition of the use of standpipes and rota cuts not more than
one in 100 years.
Whilst the legislation surrounding temporary use restrictions has changed, we still consider
the levels of service, as defined above, to be appropriate. Further detail is provided in Section
6.2.4.
Through historic and recent investment to secure our vulnerable groundwater sources and
our direct river intakes against drought, customers supplied from these sources receive a
higher level of service than customers who depend on supplies from reservoirs. Consultation
and discussion at national and regional level during the 2011-12 drought highlighted that it
is no longer acceptable to include a planned level of service that may result in the imposition
of standpipes or rota cuts for our customers. In response to this, and the consultation for
our latest water resources management plan, we will start work in AMP6 on the detailed
design, planning and further consultation for a new raw water transfer from the River Trent
to enhance the levels of service in our Ruthamford supply system.
2.4 Bulk Supply Agreements and Inset Appointments
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We have long-standing statutory agreements for bulk exports with Affinity Water (Central)
and Severn Trent Water. It has been agreed with both water companies that these
arrangements will remain in force as reported in our water resources management plan.
We also have agreements for bulk imports from Essex and Suffolk Water and Cambridge
Water. Details of the quantities are detailed in Table 2.
1
Gavin Ellison, G. 2012. Research into restrictions on the use of water (June 2012). Report by
YouGov to CC Water (available here:
http://www.ccwater.org.uk/upload/pdf/Hosepipe_Ban_Final.pdf (last accessed June 2013).
23
Agreement
Average Ml/d
Peak Ml/d
Export to Severn Trent from Ruthamford North RZ
18
18
Export to Veolia Central from Ruthamford South RZ
91
109
Import from Essex & Suffolk to Essex & Suffolk RZ
3
4.5
Emergency supply from Cambridge Water
2.5
2.5
Table 2 Bulk supply agreements
We also have a shared water resource with Affinity Water (East) at Ardleigh Reservoir.
Under the terms and conditions of the bulk supply arrangements, there is no formal
requirement for these companies to impose the same restrictions, although in practice
companies plan for similar restrictions when experiencing the same drought conditions.
In addition, we have a number of small net transfers with Yorkshire Water, Cambridge Water,
Thames Water and an inset appointment with Independent Water Networks Limited (IWNL).
In the event of a drought these imports and exports would be subject to the same levels of
service as the donor company. Close liaison will be necessary during the onset of a drought
to minimise any impact to respective supply areas.
Increasing the volumes of water traded between water companies is a key Government
initiative and we have previously looked at extending the trading opportunities in East Anglia
in a report published jointly with Cambridge Water and Essex & Suffolk Water in November
(2)
2011 . We extended this work further for the draft WRMP 2014 and it is clear that our
ability to trade with other companies is constrained by the potential environmental impacts
of increasing the abstraction from the supplying source. There is agreement in principle with
Cambridge Water for two new trades to supply water for our Thetford to Bury St Edmunds
transfer scheme and also to replace supplies from our Beck Row source, although these
will both be subject to ongoing environmental assessments to ensure compliance with the
Water Framework Directive. We have discussed the potential for trading between Hartlepool
Water and Northumbrian Water, but since both systems are in surplus, it was agreed that
there are no immediate opportunities.
Details of our current trades and trading options considered in the 2015 WRMP are presented
in Figure 7.
2
Trading Theory for Practice (2011) available here:
http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/_assets/media/trading-theory-for-practice.pdf last accessed June
2013.
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Figure 7 Transfers, existing trades and trades considered in the 2015
WRMP
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Drought Plan 2014
We will maintain regular liaison with neighbouring water companies on the current and future
use of all bulk supplies, and will regularly review the bulk supply arrangements during a
drought.
25
2.5 Drought Management and Investment to Date
Anglian Water has maintained supplies through four major drought events since
privatisation. Prior to the 2011-12 drought event, we had invested in the region of £100
million to improve the resilience of our water supply system against severe drought
events. In response to the 2011-12 drought, we identified a further £63m of capital
expenditure to 2015, to protect customers' supplies further.
The lessons we have identified from our response to previous droughts have informed
our current drought plan. Our drought plan has recently been tested during the 2011-12
drought in the Anglian region.
We are confident that our drought plan provides a robust framework to enable us to
maintain supplies to our customers.
There have been a number of droughts that have affected the Anglian region, notably during
the 1920s, 1970s, 1990s and more recently in 2005-06 and 2011-12. Each of these periods
of exceptionally low rainfall has affected water supplies to various extents, with some affecting
parts of our region more severely than others. It was the prolonged drought experienced in
1975-76 that received attention and began to underpin future water resource drought planning
for East Anglia.
2.5.1 Pre-privatisation
The very low rainfall experienced during the early part of the summer of 1976, following the
dry autumn of 1975, represented the most unfavourable water supply position ever recorded
in the Anglian region, resulting in supply issues at many abstraction sources. Early and
effective action was necessary to maintain supplies and avoid serious social and economic
consequences.
Most serious water supply problems were experienced in Northampton, Peterborough,
Lincoln and Bedford. Plans were drawn up to reduce consumption and secure additional
or alternative supplies to maintain essential supplies.
Conservation measures were well under way throughout June 1976, and at the beginning
of July hosepipe bans covered most of the region served by Anglian Water Authorities. This
was supported by intensive publicity campaigns.
The Drought Bill as published on 14 July 1976 introduced a range of emergency measures
for conserving water further and maintaining supplies. These activities included pressure
reductions, shutting off supplies at night, delivery of water by road tanker to isolated
consumers, fast-tracking the completion of scheduled trunk mains construction, commissioning
of new boreholes, installation of new booster pumps, curtailment of spray irrigation, additional
maintenance to reduce leakage, selective restrictions on non-essential uses and the
commissioning of new river intakes and treatment plants. In addition, many industrial
customers were reducing demand by being more economical in the use of water and through
the promotion of recycling. A selection of these schemes is presented in Figure 8.
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Figure 8 Pre-Privatisation drought investment
Since privatisation of the water industry in 1989, there have been four periods of drought:1988
to 1992; 1995 to 1997; and 2005 to 2006; and 2011 to 2012. During this period, Anglian
Water has invested extensively in drought mitigation schemes including: transfer schemes
to improve the connectivity of our distribution system; additional treatment capacity; and new
boreholes to allow us to maximise the use of our existing abstraction licences. A summary
of the location of the larger schemes is presented in Figure 9.
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Drought Plan 2014
2.5.2 Post-privatisation
27
Figure 9 Post-privatisation drought investment
1988 to 1992
This drought followed the restructuring of the industry, during a period when both the National
Rivers Authority (now the Environment Agency) and the newly privatised water company
were both developing new strategies. As water levels in aquifers fell to record low values,
there were increasing concerns about supplies to areas dependent on groundwater, notably
in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Investment of £37 million was made in new assets in
the form of satellite boreholes, inter and intra planning zone transfers and additional treatment
capacity, specifically to maintain supplies.
Key investments during this drought included the Wing to Etton trunk main duplication;
Maltby to Mumby trunk main and booster; the Glentham to Welton main and booster;
the Bucklesham transfer; the Whittlesey to March trunk main; and groundwater sources.
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The introduction of demand management was achieved via publicity campaigns. At the
request of the National Rivers Authority, hosepipe bans were also imposed between 1990
and 1992 for customers living in the east of the region. This drought did not have an impact
on the surface water sources to the west of our region, where we were able to avoid customer
restrictions.
1995 to 1997
This drought followed closely after the previous one, and the lessons we identified from the
earlier drought were applied together with a further investment of circa £42 million in specific
drought schemes.
Key investments during this drought included the Kenwick – Raithby - Stenigot main
duplication; the Wing to Peterborough main duplication; the Newton to Grove trunk
main; the Kings Delph / March main and booster; water treatment works upgrades and
additional satellite boreholes.
The joint communications strategy for water conservation between the newly formed
Environment Agency and Anglian Water was improved. Together with an increased number
of measured customers this ensured that we were able to successfully manage demand and
avoided the need to introduce any restrictions. The prospect of the drought continuing for
a third year led to a precautionary application for two drought orders in September 1997 to
assist with the winter refill of Grafham Water and Pitsford Reservoir. The Planning Inspector’s
report on the public inquiry supported the need for both drought orders, but the Secretary
of State withheld his decision in order to further consider the implications of the newly
implemented Habitats Directive. The above-average rainfall during the summer of 1997
continued into the winter and it was possible to withdraw the applications in February 1998.
Reports from the Environment Agency during the public inquiry highlighted the apparent lack
of connectivity between the major reservoirs in the Ruthamford resource zone (now split into
Ruthamford North and South in the 2015 WRMP).
2005 to 2006
The dry winter of 2005-06 resulted in conditions requiring the Drought Management Team
to meet in January 2006 to review forecasts of the effect of a continuing period of below
average rainfall and to agree appropriate actions. These were implemented in line with our
first statutory drought plan as submitted in draft to Defra in March 2006, and published for
consultation in May 2006.
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Actions implemented in line with the draft drought plan included a widespread publicity
campaign and enhanced leakage control focused in the south of the region. The campaign
was effective and also well perceived by the media industry and was shortlisted in 2006 for
the prestigious Utility Industry Achievement awards.
We also forecast the potential response of groundwater and surface water resources to a
third dry winter in 2006-07. As a result we implemented an £18 million investment programme
for advancing planned schemes and developing new ones to commission additional boreholes
and links within our water distribution network in order to maintain the security of water
supplies.
29
Key investments during this drought included the installation of new abstraction pumps
to maximise the refill opportunities to Rutland Water; the Stoke Ferry to Downham
Market main; and investment in groundwater sources in Ipswich and Newmarket.
During this time we maintained regular liaison with neighbouring water companies and the
Environment Agency to review the water resource situation and to co-ordinate action in
managing supplies and demand. The Anglian Region Drought Liaison Group meetings were
also attended by Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), Natural England and the National
Farmers Union.
The Environment Agency and neighbouring water companies also implemented their drought
plans in response to the 2005-06 drought. We maintained regular liaison to review the water
resource situation and to co-ordinate action in managing supplies and demand.
2011 to 2012
On the 10 July 2011 the Secretary of State announced that the Environment Agency’s Anglian
region had moved to drought status, as a result of nearly 6 months of exceptionally low
rainfall and the soil moisture deficit being at its highest recorded level. A number of rivers
in the region were exceptionally low at the time of the announcement and the Environment
Agency was forecasting the situation to deteriorate further. The areas worst affected were
catchments in Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, parts of Bedfordshire and the fens in
Cambridgeshire.
Our Drought Management Team was convened in June 2011 and met on a regular basis
until September 2012. In December 2011 we moved into Drought status following the second
driest year in the 114 year rainfall record. Capital investment was prioritised at three
vulnerable groundwater sources in Lincolnshire and Norfolk, and to enhance interconnection
in the Ruthamford resource zones (RZs).
The localised nature of the 2011 drought resulted in the most significant potential impact on
our ability to supply customers in our Ruthamford RZs since the droughts of the early and
mid-1990s. The exceptionally low rainfall in 2011 had a significant impact on flows in the
River Nene, and affected our ability to refill Pitsford Reservoir and Rutland Water. As a
precautionary measure, we applied to the Environment Agency for winter drought permits
to alter the licence conditions at our river intakes to maximise the water available for
abstraction. Both drought permits were issued in December 2011 and expired in April 2012.
By March 2012 it was being reported as the driest 18 months ever recorded. The two
consecutive dry winters had a significant impact on the water resources situation, and at
that time we were growing increasingly concerned about the potential impact of a third-dry
winter. The low reservoir situation in March 2012 was compounded by low river flows across
the Anglian region impeding refill opportunities. On 5 April 2012 we imposed temporary use
restrictions on our customers for the first time in 20 years, alongside six other water companies
in the south and east of England.
The recovery from the drought was as exceptional as the dry weather that preceded it, with
six months of record rainfall from April to September 2013 bringing the drought to a rapid
conclusion. Some parts of our region experienced three times the normal amount of rain
for April. We lifted the restrictions on 14 June 2012, just 10 weeks after they had started.
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The level of collaboration and co-operation within the water industry and with the Environment
Agency and Defra was high during this drought. The Secretary of State set up the National
Drought Group (NDG) in February 2012 in which Anglian Water took a leading role. The
purpose and remit of the NDG was to create a single coherent, cross sector team, which
was able to manage coordinated delivery of drought management activities, communications
and risk mitigation. The NDG was chaired by the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency
and other attendees included the Cabinet Office, Defra, National Farmers Union, UK Irrigation
Association, Association of Drainage Authorities, Natural England, Blueprint for Water, Water
UK, Anglian Water, Thames Water and the Country Land and Business Association. The
key recommendations from the NDG included:
Improve resilience for future droughts
Promote best practice in communications
Improve operational management and environmental protection
Develop governance arrangements for national water resource management and to
prepare for future droughts.
In addition to the NDG and together with the Environment Agency we led several national
events to encourage the industry and our regulators to understand the true impacts of drought,
and ensure better preparedness in the future. Collaborative studies explored a number of
water resource and drought mitigation options including bulk transfers and resource sharing
between neighbouring water companies.
In response to drought conditions, we identified £63 million of capital expenditure to increase
our resilience and protect customers’ supplies. The capital programme to 2015 included
investment opportunities to accelerate some supply-demand schemes to commission a
number of our licensed abstraction sources, although the requirement to conform with the
Water Framework Directive impacted the viability of some schemes.
Key investments during this drought have included new groundwater sources, a river
augmentation main, booster pumps, Rutland Water refill schemes, leakage enhancement
and pressure management. There is ongoing investment in the schemes to advance
the investment in various groundwater and surface water sources identified in our water
resources management plan, the Central Lincolnshire Trunk Main and the Hannington
to Pitsford link. Work is ongoing on the drought schemes at the Marham, Stoke Ferry,
Postwick and Pulloxhill water treatment works.
In addition to the capital investment and our work at a national level, during the 2011-12
drought we undertook the following actions:
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Drought Plan 2014
Significant appraisal work was also undertaken to understand the feasibility of the Flag Fen
water reuse, a canal water transfer vie the Grand Union Canal, the River Trent transfer to
Rutland Water, and various other groundwater options. These schemes have been taken
to design stage and have either been included as supply-demand or resilience schemes in
our 2015 WRMP or packaged ‘on the shelf’ for future drought resilience options if required.
To increase communications with our customers and key stakeholders in accordance
with our drought communications plan.
To lead by example and reduce our leakage levels to 189 Ml/d, which is nearly 10%
below our Ofwat target of 211 Ml/d
31
To launch our biggest-ever water-saving campaign, Drop 20 in which we asked every
customer to reduce their use by 20 litres through extensive advertisements on billboards,
bus stops and buses, in newspapers and on the radio.
To partner with the Royal Horticultural Society to launch the ‘Potting Shed’ campaign
where customers were invited to sign up for free water-saving packs for the garden.
To target the Enhanced Metering programme to strategic areas most at risk. To continue
with our enhanced monitoring and regular drought forecasting.
To continue with our monitoring programmes and water resources situation forecasting.
To report on the effectiveness of the demand management and supply-side management
measures associated with the drought permits and temporary use restrictions.
2.5.3 Lessons Identified from Previous Droughts
Our experience of previous droughts has highlighted that the timetable for the introduction
of management actions is reactive to both the intensity and the duration of a rainfall deficit.
A short intense summer drought will require a different approach to a sequence of winters
with below-average recharge to water resources in aquifers and pumped storage reservoirs.
The 1988-92 drought was characterised by the impact on groundwater resources and base
flows to rivers during the summer of 1991, whereas the 1995-97 drought placed greater
stress on surface water storage. The 2011-12 drought primarily impacted the rivers in the
west of our region.
Our region often experiences periods of low rainfall, which will initially affect our surface
water sources over a single season. Where possible in this scenario we would actively seek
to maximise conjunctive use of our groundwater sources to reduce demand on surface water
sources.
Assessment of our groundwater sources and their behaviour in drought scenarios has
enabled us to identify and classify drought-vulnerable borehole sources as described in
Section 4.3. This has allowed us to plan and mitigate against impacts at these sources
during future droughts.
Experience of previous drought sequences in our region has underpinned the importance
of effective and timely customer and stakeholder communication at the onset of prevailing
drought conditions (see the case study below). The requirement for effective engagement
with customers via publicity campaigns has been highlighted and we have experience of
developing successful campaigns to promote our water efficiency messages (see Appendix
9). The importance of an effective campaign to manage demand cannot be under-estimated.
We have a good baseline to launch our campaigns due to the ongoing programme of other
demand management measures, such as successful meter penetration, enhanced metering
and water efficiency programmes described further Section 6.2.
Historically droughts have all ended sharply in response to a period of above-average rainfall,
for example the heavy rainfall in the winters of 1976-77, 1992-93 and 1997-98. This pattern
was repeated with the heavy rain of 2012 following the 2011-12 drought. Demand restrictions
and drought order applications have been withdrawn as soon as the prevailing conditions
allowed.
The 2011-12 drought highlighted how the severity of a drought can change over a small
distance, such that even within the Ruthamford RZs the River Great Ouse and the River
Nene responded very differently to the low rainfall. This response resulted in our Grafham
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Water reservoir (which relies on refill from the River Great Ouse) remaining in a healthy state
whilst storage levels in both Rutland Water and Pitsford Reservoir declined as a result of
the low flows in the River Nene.
Case Study: River Nene Drought Permits 2011
The importance of collaborative working with key stakeholders was highlighted during
the later stages of the summer of 2011. Regular drought liaison meetings between the
Environment Agency and Anglian Water were instigated shortly after the Anglian region
was announced as being in drought in July 2011. Concerns expressed by the
Environment Agency regarding rainfall and river flows in the Nene catchment prompted
detailed reservoir storage projections to be undertaken for a range of flow scenarios,
which led us to take the precautionary step of applying for two winter drought permits.
We continued to work closely with regional contacts in the Environment Agency to
ensure that we addressed all of their concerns in a timely manner. We engaged in early
discussions with Natural England and reached agreement on appropriate mitigation
measures to ensure that we fulfilled Habitats Directive requirements. We consulted
widely and further discussions were also necessary with a number of key stakeholders
including angling clubs, district councils and internal drainage boards.
The successful and timely outcome of the drought permit application to enable us to
secure public water supplies, whilst minimising any environmental impacts and effects
on other water users, was helped significantly by the good working relationships between
all of our key stakeholders.
2.5.4 Lessons Identified from the 2011-12 Drought
The main legacy of the 2011-12 drought is the recognition that our upstream water resources
are not entirely secure against three dry-winters or severe prolonged drought events. This
needs to be addressed through additional resilience planning and investment. The areas
considered to be at risk of a severe drought event are the Ruthamford resource zones,
Norwich, and Kings Lynn. Further work is required to better understand the risks for Ipswich
and Colchester.
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Drought Plan 2014
A number of capital investment options were promoted during this drought to help mitigate
some of the upstream water resource risks. We were able to ‘fast-track’ the evaluation
process mainly because the need for the schemes had been identified during the Price
Review 2009 business planning process and were detailed in our WRMP 2010.
We will continue to work on the remaining three dry-winter options to develop the capital
solutions and ensure that they have been through a full appraisal process. These designed
and costed schemes will then be available if the need is identified during future droughts or
to increase resilience to our customers. As part of this process we will carry on our
discussions with the Environment Agency and Natural England so that we can address any
environmental concerns.
33
The concerns highlighted in the Ruthamford RZs formed one of the key consultation questions
for our Water Resources Management Plan 2015 and PR14 Business Plan, in which we
asked our customers to support investment of £400 million, over the next 10 to 15 years, to
remove the risk of future rota-cuts or standpipes during extreme drought events.
Discussions with the Environment Agency will also be extended to ensure that we consider
options for more flexible abstraction licences during future drought periods, to ensure
maximum benefit to all water users especially the farming sector.
The value of the multi-company and multi-sector approach to successful planning and
communication during the drought will be continued through further collaborative projects.
Anglian Water has helped to set up the Water Resource East Anglia (WREA) project which
is seeking to develop a long-term strategic water resource planning framework for the Anglian
region. Current stakeholders included Anglian Water, Affinity Water, Cambridge Water,
Essex & Suffolk Water and the Environment Agency. In the future it is expected that the
group will expand to include other water companies, as well as representatives from other
sectors.
The severity of the 2011-12 drought led us to review our emergency plans for extreme
restrictions, which highlighted the fact that the widespread use of standpipes and rota-cuts
is impractical. We also recognise that these demand restriction options would be
unacceptable to the public and, following recent Environment Agency guidance, we are
assessing the impact of removing the use of standpipes and rota-cuts from our plans. This
would most probably drive the need for significant investment to secure a transfer from the
River Trent during extended periods of dry weather in the catchments of the River Great
Ouse, the Welland and Nene.
Anglian Water will continue to build on the experience from the 2011-12 drought, and in
particular we are challenging the current thinking on drought resilience beyond three
dry-winters.
2.6 Testing the Drought Plan
The 2011-12 drought provided an opportunity to test the effectiveness of our Drought Plan
2008 and to ensure that it was fit for purpose. The Drought Management Team was formed
in line with the requirements of our plan and key management actions were followed. Some
of the actions in the communications plan were considered to be overly prescriptive and
these have now been updated. The communications strategy as presented is now less
prescriptive and highlights how we will adapt our communications actions and tactics as the
drought develops.
The severity of the 2011-12 drought led us to review our governance procedures, and to the
formation of a dedicated Central Drought Response Team, including appointment of Head
of Drought Response. The team relieved pressure from other business units and provided
a central resource to co-ordinate the company response to the drought. Any future decision
to set up a similar team would be based on the severity of the drought and would be taken
by the established Drought Management Team.
We agreed with the Environment Agency that the next revision of our drought plan would
include assessments for all of our surface water intakes where future drought management
measures may require us to make an application for a drought permit. In August 2011, we
committed to the inclusion of additional measures in our draft Drought Plan 2012 and to
undertake the associated environmental assessments that would be required to support any
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future applications. During the 2011-12 drought, we were able to build on the environmental
assessments that we produced for the draft Drought Plan 2012 and develop the Environmental
Reports which accompanied the successful applications for winter drought permits for the
Pitsford and Rutland Water reservoirs.
We followed the processes detailed in the draft Drought Plan 2012 to introduce the temporary
use restrictions in April 2012. Whilst the process was clear, there was quite a lot of confusion
regarding the exemptions that we included. This was made somewhat harder by the fact
that we opted to implement restrictions at the same time as six other water companies. The
industry guidance for the implementation of temporary use restrictions has been updated
following experiences from the 2011-12 drought, and we have adopted the best practice in
this latest revision of the drought plan.
The draft Drought Plan 2012 provided the framework and flexibility required to manage the
2011-12 drought. Lessons identified from this drought have been used to inform our Drought
Plan 2014.
2.7 Assessing the Impact of Long Duration Drought and Climate Change
Experience shows that short droughts are less common in the Anglian region than other
parts of the country. In response to the increased awareness of the need to understand the
impacts of long-term, multi-season droughts on our water supply system, two projects were
undertaken to assess the vulnerability of water resources in East Anglia.
Severe drought project
The objective of this project is to assess what impact a severe drought, with three consecutive
dry winters, would have on supplies. The project has built on an earlier collaborative project
that was undertaken between the Environment Agency, United Utilities and Anglian Water
(see Figure 10).
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Drought Plan 2014
Hindcasting regression methods were used to compile rainfall records across the region for
the last 200 years. From these, time series of river flow and ground water levels were
synthesised at various locations. Long term summer rainfall showed a decrease in mean
rainfall over time, while winter rainfall showed an increase. Annual rainfall showed either no
trend or an upward trend in data analysed. However, none of the identified trends in the
catchment rainfall series was statistically significant.
35
Figure 10 Severe drought project: reservoir simulation, 1801-2003,
under Anglian Water levels of service
(3)
Reservoir yield assessments showed that the 19th century droughts would not have any
impact on the reservoir yields. Further work is being conducted to better understand these
trends; to include a review of the variation in reliability of the series between catchments, a
comparison of the findings against wider published research and the uncertainties within the
data used to derive the modelling input series (rainfall and potential evapotranspiration).
(4)
For groundwater , time series of water levels at 11 key observation boreholes across the
region were generated using statistical hindcasting based around one, two or three year
droughts. The results showed that because of the variability in hydrogeology at each
borehole, no one historic drought impacted all aquifers in the same way, and the year of
minimum groundwater levels was different for most boreholes. Furthermore, there is little
difference between minimum groundwater levels modelled after two dry winters and those
after a third dry winter at most observation boreholes: some form of significant recharge has
always tended to occur in any three-year period over the last 200 years. As a result of this,
recent droughts appear to be almost as severe as anything that has occurred since 1800.
There is no statistically significant difference between minimum drought groundwater levels
experienced in the last 20 years and those prior to the historic water level record. Therefore
for groundwater sources, deployable outputs based on the recent 40 year records are
considered representative of the last 200 years (see Figure 11).
3
4
Mott MacDonald for Anglian Water, June 2012. Severe Drought Study – Surface water modelling
Mott MacDonald for Anglian Water, January 2012. Severe Drought Study – Impacts on
Groundwater Potential Yield
36
Part Two
Regional Overview
47
Error Bars
Average difference between modelled and observed = 0.424 m
Modelled
Observed
46
Annual Minimum Groundwater Level (mAOD)
45
44
43
42
41
40
39
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
Year
Figure 11 Modelled vs Observed Hydrographs for the period of borehole
monitoring
Impacts of climate change on source yields
A climate change yield assessment of all Anglian Water’s groundwater and surface water
sources was carried out to support the Water Resources Management Plan 2015. All surface
(5)
water sources were assessed using an ensemble of 100 UKCP09
climate change
scenarios. The scenarios indicate that future climate will be drier, with a general decrease
in precipitation and increase in potential evapotranspiration.
For groundwater, a sub-sample of 20 UKCP09 scenarios was generated using recharge
indicators and adjusted climate series. We then worked collaboratively with the Environment
Agency and used their regional groundwater model to assess the impacts of each scenario
on groundwater levels. Drought vulnerable boreholes where then assessed for any resulting
impact on yield and source output. Only five groundwater sources in Norfolk and Suffolk
were shown to have a loss of deployable output in response to climate change impacts on
yield (see Figure 13). The maximum range in impacts on total groundwater deployable
output is predicted to be between -19 Ml/d and +9 Ml/d. The median predicted impact is
-0.1 Ml/d. The worst case impact of climate change (a loss of 19 Ml/d) is equivalent to
approximately 2.5% of the total groundwater output, which demonstrates the overall resilience
of the groundwater system to climate change.
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
The surface water yields resulting from these scenarios show a decreasing trend when
compared to baseline calculations (without application of any demand restrictions). The
range of changes is large for both reservoirs and direct intakes (see Figure 12), with the
latter having a larger range in yield results due to the lack of storage in the system. The
reservoirs shown to be affected the most are Grafham Water, Rutland Water and Alton
Water. When Levels of Service restrictions are applied, the yields generally increase for all
reservoirs resulting in more climate change scenario yields being higher than the baseline.
5
Murphy et al, 2009. UK Climate Projections science report: Climate change projections (UKCP09).
37
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Figure 13 Impact of Climate Change on groundwater Yield for Five Sources at risk of loss
of DO across full range in scenarios
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
38
Part Two
Regional Overview
Part Three
Drought Management Strategy
40
Part Three
Drought Management Strategy
3 Drought Management Strategy
Part Three of our drought plan presents the strategy and technical detail around how
we propose to manage public water supplies during the onset and prevailing conditions
of a drought.
This part of the plan includes the following sections:
Our drought management process detailing how we manage our water resources
from normal conditions through to drought.
Our drought triggers and scenario testing, which highlights how we identify the
different stages of a drought and when we implement drought management actions.
Our methodology for drought forecasting detailing how we project the effects of
prolonged rainfall deficits.
Our measures for managing supplies and demand during drought periods, including
details of how we would seek to implement restrictions on customer use.
Our environmental assessments and monitoring plan detailing how we would seek
to minimise the impacts of our drought actions on the environment.
Our management structure and communications plan.
And the post-drought actions that we will undertake at the end of a drought.
Our drought management strategy incorporates a range of drought management activities
and decisions that are aligned to the onset of a drought, as defined either by the Environment
Agency or ourselves as the potential risk to supply increases during a prolonged period of
low rainfall. The process that we follow during the progression from normal to potential
drought to drought are summarised in the following sections.
3.1 Drought Management Process
This section describes the drought management process we have in place to maintain
security of supplies to our customers as we move from normal conditions through to
drought conditions.
Each drought is different in terms of location, intensity, duration and hence impact. The
drought management process needs to provide a flexible framework of options that will allow
us to respond most effectively to a drought in the most appropriate way for a wide range of
drought situations. Our drought management process has been developed for our region;
it is relevant and realistic for our operating systems and circumstances.
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
Figure 14 outlines the framework for our drought management process. The drought
management actions and responsibilities for delivery, as drought conditions prevail, are
defined in Sections 3.2 to 3.5.
We have a sound management structure and experience in drought management, which
enables us to respond effectively and responsibly to the onset and development of a drought.
Our Drought Management Team comprises:
41
Director of Water Services.
Asset Management Director.
Regulation Director.
Director of Corporate Affairs.
Head of Water Resources.
The Drought Management Team will be responsible for making key business decisions that
may be required as a direct result of the impact of drought. The Drought Management Team
is supported by a team of technical experts throughout the business with experience of
managing drought events since privatisation. In addition, we have an established succession
plan to develop water resource specialists in the area of drought management.
Our experience from the 2011-12 drought highlighted the importance in establishing a
dedicated Central Drought Response Team to co-ordinate the key activities through a
developing drought including communications, tactical operational decisions, planning and
capital delivery.
Full details of the Drought Management Team and their roles are provided in Section
8.
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
42
Part Three
Drought Management Strategy
Figure 14 Drought management process
43
3.2 Management Actions during Normal (non-drought) Conditions
During normal (non-drought) conditions we receive and collate the weekly meteorological
data described in Table 3.
Parameter
Definition
Rainfall
Average weekly rainfall for our region (millimetres)
Potential Evaporation (PE) A measure of the ability of the atmosphere to remove water
from the surface through the processes of evaporation and
transpiration assuming no control on water supply (millimetres)
Actual evaporation (AE)
The quantity of water that is actually removed from a surface
owing to the processes of evaporation and transpiration
(millimetres)
Soil moisture deficit (SMD) The amount of rainfall required to replenish water loss due
to plant growth and evaporation (high figures indicate a dry
soil) (millimetres)
Mean temperature
Weekly mean temperature (Celsius)
Table 3 Weekly meteorological data collected under normal conditions
In addition to meteorological data that we receive from the Meteorological Office, the
Environment Agency sends us a copy of its monthly situation reports, which include the
following information:
Summary information.
Rainfall statistics.
Soil moisture deficit and groundwater recharge data.
River flows.
Groundwater levels in key observation boreholes.
Public water supply reservoir storage levels.
We also collect hydrometric data, which we routinely share with the Environment Agency.
These include water levels in our own boreholes and reservoirs; groundwater levels from
observation boreholes used for environmental monitoring purposes; and the flow in rivers
from which we abstract water for operational purposes. We rely primarily on data collected
via our telemetry system, but also on data collected by members of our operational teams.
The hydrometric data are used to produce a monthly water resources situation report, which
enables us to monitor any regional or sub-regional variations that may indicate the potential
onset of drought. We closely monitor our groundwater levels and reservoir storage levels
to assess the status of resources available for water supply.
We also monitor our daily abstraction data and demand data based on distribution input.
This allows us to manage demands at an operational level and is also used to determine
levels of leakage. We also use these data to manage abstraction licence compliance and
to monitor the approach of any cessation limits or associated licence conditions (further
44
Part Three
Drought Management Strategy
details are provided in Section 4). The implementation of licence cessation conditions is
triggered by notification from the Environment Agency, based on data gathered via their
hydrometric network.
We operate 15 support schemes across the region (as listed in Table 4). The triggers are
usually conditions written into our abstraction licences and are based on river flows or water
quality as monitored and advised by the Environment Agency. The river support schemes
comprise boreholes that are used to support rivers with abstracted groundwater and are
operated to support flows and river ecology at times of stress. These support schemes are
operated over a range of different conditions, which cover all stages of drought. Owing to
the localised nature of these schemes, it is possible that some may be operational during
times that we would classify as normal (non-drought) conditions.
River
Support scheme
River Waveney
Billingford
Laceby Beck
Laceby
River Freshney
Barnoldby
River Deben
Winston
River Tas
Caistor St Edmunds
River Tas
Bixley
River Stiffkey
Binham
River Stiffkey
Houghton St Giles
River Colne
Great Yeldham
Ditch system adjacent to River Bure
Coldham Hall
Cley Hall Marshes
Glandford
West Earlham & Bowthorpe Marshes
Bowthorpe
Conard Mere
Bures Road
Stamford Mill Stream
Tinwell
Taverham Mill Lake
Costessey
Table 4 River support schemes
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
Table 5 outlines the management actions that we undertake as part of our normal operations
under non-drought conditions.
45
Actions
Triggers
Responsibility
Review, and if necessary update the drought plan
In line with annual
WRMP review
Water Resources
Monitor daily abstraction data against licence conditions
and cessation limits
Ongoing
Operate river support schemes and comply with Section
20 agreements
Ongoing
Monitor sources outputs and resource yield
assessments and predictions
Monitor daily reservoir storage and forward details (%
fill) to Environment Agency
Weekly
Monitor rainfall, mean temperature, evaporation, soil
moisture deficit and reservoir storage
Weekly
Publish hydrological data on Anglian Water intranet
Weekly
Monitor water levels and flows as required for routine
licence compliance and report to Environment Agency
Monthly
Monitor groundwater levels at key Environment Agency
observation boreholes
Monthly
Circulate water resource situation update to Anglian
Water Management Board and publish on Anglian
Water intranet
Monthly
Undertake environmental monitoring and/or modelling
as required for drought permit sites
As identified in
environmental
assessments
Provide input into Environment Agency, water company
regional liaison meetings
Quarterly
Respond to concerns on water sources and resources
Reports received
Respond to concerns on environmental impact or
derogation of protected rights
Reports received
Maintain level and flow-monitoring equipment to allow
for input of data to archive systems
Ongoing
Record manual measurements of water levels for
operational boreholes
Monthly
Maintain augmentation and river support schemes
Ongoing
Maintain ongoing 'Waterwise' messages
Ongoing
Respond to external requests for information including
Environment Agency, Defra and WaterUK
Ongoing
Water Resources
Table 5 Management actions during normal (non-drought) conditions
Water Services
Communications
46
Part Three
Drought Management Strategy
3.3 Recognising the start of a Drought
Successful water resource planning is underpinned by the ability to manage critical drought
conditions that are a feature in the Anglian region, and to a lesser extent in the Hartlepool
area, without incurring undue impact on our customers or the environment.
The following hydrometric indicators will be used as the basis of an assessment as to whether
we are changing drought status:
Historical rainfall records are used to identify periods of exceptionally low rainfall events
that may precede a drought. Rainfall is monitored against long-term rainfall records
(of different periods), as illustrated in Figure 15.
Elevated soil moisture deficits (SMD) reported for our region. These are monitored
against historical seasonal variations. High SMDs during winter would indicate delayed
seasonal recharge to groundwater resources.
Groundwater levels from observation boreholes close to our pumped borehole sources.
The levels have been used to develop drought alert curves for our groundwater
resources, based on behaviour in historical droughts.
Reservoir storage levels are monitored. Normal operating levels have been developed
to identify potential drought triggers.
Surface water flows are measured and determine direct river abstraction drought triggers.
1200
1000
Cumulative rainfall (mm)
800
600
400
200
0
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Figure 15 Anglian region cumulative rainfall for 18 month periods starting in October
in each year from 1899 to 2013 (dashed grey lines are upper (2000-02) and lower
(1920-22) bounds; dashed orange line is 1975-77; red line is 2010-12 )
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
Oct
Groundwater resources and reservoir storage are dependent upon winter rainfall for recharge
and refill. Low rainfall during winter and spring provide an early indication of potential drought
conditions, whilst groundwater level and reservoir storage signal the status of water resources
available for water supplies.
47
We will continue to work closely with the Environment Agency, and it is possible that there
will be occasions when the environmental indicators are such that the Environment Agency
may declare that they have crossed a trigger that will advance their own drought status
ahead of those that we require to manage public water supplies.
Drought triggers are used to instigate the decision-making process (ordinarily via the Drought
Management Team) for determining the most appropriate course of action. We use a range
of triggers for our reservoirs, direct abstraction river intakes and vulnerable groundwater
sources to identify what actions to take and when to do so. As each drought is unique, there
is unlikely to be any single trigger that will indicate a change of status from normal to potential
drought status but more often a combination of factors that will be considered by the Water
Resources Management Team.
These triggers are detailed further in Section 4.
48
Part Three
Drought Management Strategy
3.4 Management Actions during Potential Drought Conditions
One of the first management actions that results from a move to Potential Drought status is
to convene the Drought Management Team.
The additional actions detailed in Table 6 will be undertaken once we have moved into
Potential Drought status.
Actions
Triggers
Responsibility for
monitoring triggers
and taking action
Convene Drought Management Team
Potential drought
conditions reported
Director of Water
Services
Commence implementation of Communications
Strategy as in Appendix 9 / raise awareness and
secure water savings through demand
management
Decision made by
Drought Management
Team
Communications
Initiate additional modelling of reservoirs and
predictions of impact on trigger levels
Potential drought
conditions observed
Water Resources
Manage licence restriction clauses
Drought conditions
prevail
Water Resources &
Water Services
Operate augmentation schemes
Conditions outlined in the
licence/operating terms
Review supply-side management options
Potential drought
conditions reported
Monitor weekly SMDs
Monitor drought vulnerable borehole sources for
approach to deepest advisable pumping water
levels (DAPWLs) and impact on deployable
output
Monitor reservoir levels for approach to
associated trigger levels
Monitor direct river intakes against appropriate
river flow recession analysis
Operation of sourceworks to maximise security
of water resources
Review and increase ecological drought
monitoring in key catchments to support drought
permit applications
Drought liaison (including provision of data) with
the Environment Agency and other organisations
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
Identify environmental mitigation measures
49
Actions
Triggers
Responsibility for
monitoring triggers
and taking action
Review borehole pumping water levels and
prioritise borehole replacement programmes
Drought conditions
prevail
Water Resources
Prioritise investment programme
Drought Management
Team
Consider opportunities to reduce leakage
Drought conditions
prevail
Director of Water
Services
Respond to internal/external reports of low flows
etc
Reports received
Communications &
Water Resources
Determine the need for drought permits (on a
precautionary basis)
Reservoir storage
projections
Water Resources
Agree and submit application for winter drought
permit to Environment Agency
Prevailing drought
conditions
Anglian Water
Management Board &
Water Resources
Move to Drought status
Recommendation of
Drought Management
Team in relation to
drought triggers
Director of Water
Services
Table 6 Management actions during potential drought conditions
3.5 Management Actions during Drought Conditions
At the stage when a drought develops to the extent that it is having an impact on our
operations, or when we are concerned about the potential risk to water supplies, we will
have entered full drought conditions. Our efforts to safeguard public water supplies will
increase significantly and will include the management actions detailed in Table 7. The
overall responsibility for agreeing all of these associated actions will rest with the Drought
Management Team.
Actions
Triggers
Responsibility for
monitoring triggers and
taking action
Develop and approve programme of works
as necessary to secure deployable
outputs and to reinforce water transfer to
maintain secure supplies
Drought conditions prevail
Drought Management
Team
Promote opportunities to reduce leakage
Drought conditions prevail
Director of Water Services
Implement elements of the
communications strategy as detailed in
Appendix 9
Decision made by Drought
Management Team
Communications
Additional hydrometric monitoring
(dependent on drought type/severity)
Drought conditions prevail
Water Resources
Part Three
Drought Management Strategy
Actions
Triggers
Responsibility for
monitoring triggers and
taking action
Ecological drought monitoring as detailed
in the Environment Drought monitoring
plan
Drought conditions prevail
Water Resources
Carry our drought mitigation actions
Liaison with Environment
Agency drought teams
Water Resources
Review need to set up Regional or
National drought groups with Environment
Agency, neighbouring water companies
and/or Water UK
Prevailing drought
conditions
Drought Management
Team
Establish need for Strategic
Communications Group through Water
UK to co-ordinate customer and media
information
Approval to implement
demand restrictions
Communications
Approve imposition of demand
management restrictions (temporary use
restrictions)
Reservoir management
curves
Drought Management
Team
Implement demand restrictions
Appropriate reservoir level
triggers
Water Resources,
Regulation
Determine the need for drought permits
Reservoir storage
projections
Water Resources
Agree and submit application for drought
permit to Environment Agency
Prevailing drought
conditions
Anglian Water
Management Board &
Water Resources
Determine need to apply for drought
orders - non-essential use
Decision by Drought
Management Team
Water Resource & Legal
Agree and submit application for drought
order to Secretary of State
Prevailing drought
conditions
Anglian Water
Management Board &
Water Resources
Manage transfer/augmentation/Section
20 agreement conditions
Drought conditions prevail
Asset Management &
Water Services
Respond to internal/external reports of low
flows etc
Reports received
Water Resources &
Communications
Return to normal monitoring, relaxation of
drought management actions
Recommendation of
Drought Management
Team
Director of Water Services
Table 7 Management actions during drought conditions
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
50
Part Three
Drought Triggers and
Scenarios
52
Part Three
Drought Triggers and
Scenarios
4 Drought Triggers and Scenarios
This section of our drought plan describes the hydrological and environmental triggers
we have developed for our sources to identify the onset of drought conditions.
These are outlined for our sources as follows:
Reservoirs.
Direct river intakes.
Drought-vulnerable groundwater sources.
Drought triggers are used to identify when specific drought actions should be considered for
implementation. Drought triggers have been developed to aid the decision-making process
as part of a framework for drought management, in combination with professional judgement
and available information during each specific drought situation.
Ongoing monitoring is essential to identify potential drought conditions. Aquifer recharge
and reservoir refill are the most critical issues in autumn and winter, whereas surface water
flows are the most critical in spring and summer.
There is a normal operating range that is observed for surface water reservoirs, direct river
intakes and groundwater sources. Their trends in relation to approaching trigger levels are
important in assessing the risk of potential drought conditions. The triggers for surface water
reservoirs are the reservoir management curves. The triggers for direct river intakes and
groundwater sources are based on an assessment of hydrographs approaching levels that
affect the individual source yields.
Drought triggers are designed to allow appropriate lead-in time for the preparation and
implementation of specific actions. This is especially important for the following drought
management actions:
Customer communications strategy.
Implementation of temporary restrictions.
Application process for drought permits and drought orders.
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
Drought triggers have been developed using a combination of historical rainfall records,
reservoir levels, measured and synthesised river flows and groundwater water levels. Drought
scenarios are used to demonstrate how our proposed drought actions would be implemented
and to assess the effectiveness of drought triggers. We have investigated a range of historical
droughts to demonstrate how the proposed drought actions would be managed under the
current water resource infrastructure, demands and operational assumptions (see Section
4.4).
We have assessed our surface water and groundwater drought vulnerable sources and their
response to the worst historical drought for each individual source. The response of surface
and groundwater sources to historical droughts is variable. This is because of the different
characteristics of each source and how it reacts to drought conditions. The responses range
from single-season critical (for example Ardleigh Reservoir), to two-season critical (for
example Alton Water or Southfields groundwater source) and multi-season critical (for
example Covenham Reservoir or our drought vulnerable groundwater sources).
53
The drought plan is designed as an operational plan and its purpose is to identify the triggers
and actions that would be taken with our existing infrastructure. It does not account for the
long-term effects of climate change in any of our scenario assessments.
4.1 Reservoirs
We operate eight reservoirs, five of which (Rutland Water, Grafham Water, Pitsford,
Ravensthorpe and Hollowell) form a partially integrated supply system known as Ruthamford.
For water resource planning purposes this system has now been divided into two zones,
Ruthamford North and Ruthamford South. The remaining three reservoirs are Covenham,
Alton Water and Ardleigh. Ardleigh Reservoir is jointly owned with Affinity Water (East) and
operated under the provisions of the Ardleigh Reservoir Order under the governance of the
Ardleigh Reservoir Committee.
Foxcote reservoir near Milton Keynes is not currently in use but the option to recommission
it is included in our Water Resources Management Plan 2015, and it was identified as an
option to be advanced during the 2011-12 drought. We have disposed of Crookfoot and
Hurworth Burn reservoirs in the Hartlepool area as they are no longer required to supply
non-potable industrial demand.
Details of the methodology used to produce the reservoir management strategy are provided
in Appendix 4.
Continuous monitoring records the storage levels at each of our operational reservoirs and
the data are collated to provide a continuous profile of historical storage levels. The reservoir
storage levels are presented with reference to reservoir control curves, which define the refill
target and response to drought. These data are provided on a weekly basis to the
Environment Agency.
4.1.1 Reservoir Control Curves
Reservoir storage is currently managed by reference to operating curves as shown in Figure
16 and described below.
Figure 16 Example of reservoir control and trigger curves
54
Part Three
Drought Triggers and
Scenarios
4.1.2 Normal Operating Curve
The normal operating curve is essentially a storage ‘target’ to ensure security of water supply
should the reservoir experience a drought equivalent in severity to any that has occurred
between 1920 and 2012.
Maintaining storage at the normal operating curve does not protect the reservoir storage
and security of supply should there be a drought more severe than occurred in the period
1920 to 2012. The impact of droughts earlier than 1920 are the subject of a current study
and are discussed further in Section 2.4.
4.1.3 Drought Management Curves
For each reservoir there are four drought management curves, an upper drought alert curve
(DAC) and three trigger curves associated with our levels of service (LoS);
Trigger curve 1: increase publicity and public awareness to conserve water and impose
temporary use restrictions.
Trigger curve 2: further publicity and ban on non-essential use.
Trigger curve 3: rota cuts and standpipes.
The levels of service are consistent with our water resources management plan and enable
effective and timely responses to the onset of potential drought conditions to be managed.
The drought management curves for each reservoir are included in Appendix 4.
Drought Alert Curve
The drought alert curve is the highest of the four curves and is a signal that reservoir storage
is approaching the level where we would assess the need to deploy alternative,
customer-directed demand-side measures. Storage falling towards the drought alert curve
would initiate internal liaison within Anglian Water about the need for the Drought Management
Team to convene. We would also increase our liaison with the Environment Agency.
The drought alert curve has been calculated to allow approximately 6 weeks of storage
above the LoS trigger curve 1. This is based on the analysis of simulated maximum drawdown
rates during the period 1920 and 2012, using current demand figures.
The specific actions that would be taken at this stage would be dependent on a range of
factors, including time of year, antecedent conditions, reservoir projections, meteorological
projections, reservoir vulnerability and the nature of the individual supply system.
When storage crosses any of the three LoS trigger curves, further actions would be required
to reduce demand and prolong the security of supply. The actions would be subject to
approval by the Drought Management Team and/or the Anglian Water Management Board,
following close liaison with the Environment Agency, other regulators and our customers.
The conservation measures for each level of service are detailed in Table 8.
anglianwater.co.uk
Drought Plan 2014
Levels of Service (LoS) Trigger Curves
55
Drought
Actions
management
curves
Drought alert
curve
Demand Frequency
saving
%
Indication that reservoir storage is approaching N/A
the level where we would need to increase our
customer awareness
As required
Drought Management Team would complete a
situation review
Liaison would be initiated with the Environment
Agency to mobilise resources for future actions
LoS 1
Publicity; temporary water use restrictions,
supported by the appropriate consultation
5
LoS 2
Large-scale publicity campaign to induce
10
voluntary savings; enact restrictions on
commercial non-essential use (drought orders)
1 in 10 years
1 in 40 years
Application and imposition of supply side actions
requiring drought permits/orders to secure
additional water resources
LoS 3
The implementation of standpipe and rota cuts 34-52
to different areas
1 in 100
years
Table 8 Surface water drought management trigger curves
Derivation of drought management curves for all reservoirs are included in Appendix 4 and
full details of the demand-side and supply-side management actions are included in Section
6.3.
The bulk supplies provided from Grafham Water to Affinity Water and from Rutland Water
to Severn Trent are subject to bulk supply arrangements agreed with respective recipient
companies. For the purpose of reservoir operation and yield analysis we assume the same
demand restrictions will be introduced to all supplied customers.
4.1.4 Variations to Drought Management on Reservoir Control Curves
Our assessment of reservoir yields and the derivation of the three LoS trigger curves assumes
that we will realise a demand saving of 5 per cent resulting from the imposition of temporary
use restrictions (see Table 8 and in accordance with industry best practice).
The introduction of the Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 (see Section 6.2.5 for full
details) enables us to impose a wider number of restrictions and we have assessed whether
this could result in any greater demand savings (see Appendix 2). If we assume that garden
use is mainly via use of hosepipes, then an assessment of micro-component data from our
56
Part Three
Drought Triggers and
Scenarios
(6)
WRMP and from work undertaken by UKWIR
suggests that the implementation of
restrictions using the new powers would reduce consumption by 6.1 per cent on average
for unmeasured and measured customers. This is comparable with the assessment of savings
that we made following the temporary use restrictions that we imposed in 2012.
We have tested whether this increase in demand savings would have any significant impact
on our modelling of the LoS trigger curves. Details of the sensitivity testing on two reservoirs
of differing sizes, hydrological characteristics and demand pressures is included in Appendix
4. It has been concluded that there is no significant change to the LoS trigger curves or the
subsequent operation of our reservoirs. We do not, therefore, propose any material change
to the levels of service as calculated for the WRMP or Drought Plan.
4.2 Direct Supply River Intakes
We hold abstraction licences for eight direct supply river intakes, seven of which are currently
operational (see Apppendix 5 for details). Overall direct river intakes account for less than
5 per cent of water supplied to our customers in the Anglian region. Direct river abstractions
rely on prevailing river flows and have no associated seasonal storage in the form of
reservoirs. Analysis for each intake is provided in Appendix 5.
Most of our river intakes include a licence condition that specifies a minimum river flow for
environmental protection below which we are not authorised to abstract water. We rely on
close liaison with the Environment Agency to monitor any flow or level conditions associated
with the licences at each of our direct river intakes. Assessment has shown that three of
the direct intakes are less resilient in a drought and triggers for drought management actions
have been defined for the intakes from the River Nar, the River Wissey and the River Wensum
in Norwich.
Details of the triggers for each intake are included in Appendix 5. Triggers are based on a
combination of the worst recorded river flows, licence conditions and pumping constraints
and are used to develop a sequence of operational actions that would enable the output of
the sourceworks to be secured.
Details of the drought management actions for each of the operational direct supply river
intakes are included in Section 6.3.2.
4.3 Groundwater systems
The potential yield for each of our groundwater sources is calculated in accordance with the
(7)
industry-accepted UKWIR methodology . Detail of the assessment methodology is included
in Appendix 6.
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We have 200 groundwater abstraction sources comprising, in total, 450 operational
boreholes. These range in depth from 10 to 500m and penetrate a variety of aquifers. Our
principal source of groundwater is from the Chalk, but the other aquifers we abstract from
include the Lincolnshire Limestone, Sherwood Sandstone, Magnesian Limestone, Lower
Greensand, Spilsby Sandstone, Sandringham Sands and a combination of Crag, sands and
gravels.
6
7
Drought and Demand: Modelling the impact of Restrictions on Demand During Drought
(07/WR/02/3 2007 UKWIR 2007)
A methodology for the determination of outputs Groundwater sources, UKWIR, 1995
57
All of our groundwater sources are continuously monitored and regularly reviewed for
indications of any changes in key parameters. The potential for reductions in yields for
groundwater supplies is particularly acute during periods of drought when low groundwater
levels increase the risk of operational pumping water levels approaching or breaching their
defined deepest advisable pumping water levels (DAPWLs) as illustrated in Figure 17. The
DAPWL may be set at the point where a principle flow horizon starts to dewater when the
piezometric surface lowers. Groundwater sources that rely on discrete high level flow horizons
may be particularly vulnerable to the onset of a drought.
Figure 17 UKWIR summary diagram for drought vulnerable groundwater
sources
4.3.1 Drought Vulnerable Groundwater Sources
We have identified 19 operational sources that are considered to be drought vulnerable to
varying degrees. The risk that drought may result in a loss of deployable output at each of
these sources has been evaluated by a consideration of:
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Historical occurrence of low water levels approaching the DAPWL.
Likelihood of regional drought occurring within an 18-month period.
The probable impact of any drought-related loss in potential yield having an impact on
the source’s ability to meet demand.
The locations of our drought-vulnerable groundwater sources are shown in Figure 18.
Figure 18 Drought vulnerable groundwater sources
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The drought vulnerability of our groundwater sources is based on previous experience and
available data. The potential impact of a severe long-term (or multi-season) drought is
currently being assessed and has been described further in Section 2.4.
Abstraction from a number of our groundwater sources is restricted through licence reduction
clauses as specified by the Environment Agency. These are primarily groundwater level
conditions imposed for environmental reasons. During the 2011-12 drought we identified a
second tier of vulnerable groundwater sources to be monitored under more extreme drought
59
conditions and details are provided in Appendix 6. Impacts on deployable output of the
source are included in our long-term water resources management plan and there are no
specific drought management actions associated with these sources.
4.3.2 Groundwater Drought Alert Curves
The Environment Agency has a network of observation boreholes that are used to monitor
regional groundwater levels, across various aquifer units. Groundwater drought alert curves
have been developed for each aquifer monitoring borehole that is in close proximity to one
of our drought-vulnerable sources (see Figure 19).
Figure 19 Map of Environment Agency monitoring boreholes
The aim of this alert curve is to provide an early indication of the potential onset of drought
at least 6 to 12 months in advance, taking account of natural seasonal variation. Drought
alert curves consider aquifer characteristics and individual trends in water levels. The drought
alert curve for each source has been calculated using the worst historical drought recession
curve for each corresponding observation borehole. An example is presented in Figure 20.
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Figure 20 Groundwater drought curve based on actual historical recession
For those boreholes that have significant seasonal variation in water levels and large annual
recessions where a drought could occur with only a 3 to 4-month warning the drought alert
curve has been calculated statistically by determining the worst level experienced in each
month that is exceeded once in every 5-year period. This approach provides an early
indication of the potential for drought conditions to occur in sources that are sensitive to
summer demands and are at greater risk of drought.
Drought alert curves for all our drought-monitoring boreholes are provided in Appendix 6.
Given the complex nature of most of the distribution systems supplied by groundwater
sources, the groundwater drought alert curves are not designed to result in any specific
drought restrictions to customers. Crossing a groundwater alert curve would, however,
instigate the framework for drought management actions as the severity of the drought
increases or recedes.
4.4 Scenario Modelling
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Historical drought sequences have been used to demonstrate how our drought management
actions for surface water reservoirs would be implemented over a range of drought scenarios.
We have considered the following scenarios:
Short duration, single-season drought (typically 6 to 12 months).
Medium duration, multi-season drought (1-2 years, consisting of two dry summers and
an intervening dry winter).
Long-term drought (typically lasting over two years).
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Droughts have been selected for each reservoir based on an assessment of local river flow
deficits compared to the historical average. The period over which reservoir storage was
assessed covers a range of droughts of differing durations and magnitudes. We have been
able to identify the most vulnerable scenarios for each of our reservoirs as detailed in Table
9.
Reservoir
Historical drought period
Drought
vulnerability
Short
Medium
long
Alton Water
1976
1996-98
1972-75
Medium
Ardleigh
1976
1973-74
1995-97
Short
Covenham
1957
1934-35
1921-28
Long
Grafham Water
1929
1933-35
1942-46
Medium
Rutland Water
1976
1996-98
1933-37
Medium
Northampton
1929
(Ravensthorpe,
Pitsford and Hollowell)
1975-76
1943-45
Medium
Table 9 Droughts selected for reservoir scenario management and their period of impact
Further details of the assessments can be found in Appendix 4.
Drought scenario modelling demonstrates some of the management decisions that we would
take during a drought and the measures that we would take at each reservoir. The scenario
modelling has confirmed the fact that each reservoir responds differently to a drought, as a
result of the hydrological characteristics of the contributing catchments, the differing demand
pressures relative to the yield and the management options that are available.
The available reservoir yield assessment models have been used to assess the impacts on
reservoir storage under this range of scenarios using an established methodology. We have
not assessed the direct intakes or drought-vulnerable groundwater sources to the same
extent, but will review this further following the outcome of the long-duration drought project.
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Part Three
Drought Forecasting
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Drought Forecasting
5 Drought Forecasting
This section of our drought plan describes how continuous monitoring of all of our
sources enables us to forecast the likely impact of drought under our current operating
system.
Drought forecasting is described in the following categories:
Reservoirs.
Direct river intakes.
Drought-vulnerable groundwater sources.
The results of our forecasting are used in our decision analysis when assessing future
drought risk and required actions.
Continuous monitoring of rainfall, soil moisture deficit, reservoir storage levels, river flows
and groundwater levels enable us to assess the risk of drought and its influence on our water
resources. Hydrological analysis and short/medium-term forecasting is an important tool in
predicting the impact of different scenarios. This enables the Drought Management Team
to implement appropriate drought measures in order to maintain security of supplies.
5.1 Reservoir Drought Forecasting
Reservoir level monitoring via telemetry is undertaken on a continuous basis. Understanding
the potential onset of a drought is achieved by assessing the current storage relative to the
target level expected for that time of year. Forecasting future reservoir levels allows us to
assess the potential impacts of a drought and take proportionate action.
We use our strategic water supply system model (MISER) to project reservoir storage under
a range of river flow scenarios and to inform our assessment of security of supplies to the
respective supply areas. Storage is modelled using current river abstraction pumping
constraints, and includes expected planned asset outage, but assumes 100 per cent refill
efficiency with no unplanned outage.
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In periods of prolonged rainfall deficit we would complete reservoir projections on a routine
basis to inform the Drought Management Team. The Environment Agency categorise flows
at a number of gauging sites based on analysis of historical data. A minimum of 30 years’
worth of fully validated monthly mean flow data is analysed for each month, ranked, and
assessed for return periods (as defined in Table 10).
65
Probability category
Return period probability (years)
Normal (N)
1:4
Below normal (BN)
1:4 to 1:8
Notably low (NL)
1:8 to 1:20
Exceptionally low (EL)
>1:20
Table 10 River flow categorisation, based on Environment Agency return period probabilities
We have used the Environment Agency return period category values as the basis of deriving
exceptionally low, notably low, below normal, normal, above normal and notably high flow
series, with the middle point of each category ‘band’ used as an average category monthly
flow series. This allows us to project river flows as illustrated in Figure 21.
Figure 21 Recorded flows at Duston vs the model inflows for 'average' and 'dry' scenarios
These projected flows would then be used to project reservoir storage levels in the short to
medium-term future as shown in Figure 22.
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Figure 22 Pitsford Reservoir storage projection - 2011
The main objective of the modelling is to:
Project reservoir storage, under a range of river flow scenarios, accounting for current
reservoir levels, licence usage and planned outage.
Identify any potential demand deficits within the supply system.
The results of the modelling are used as part of our decision analysis when assessing the
future drought risk and required actions.
5.2 Direct River Intake Drought Forecasting
Flows that support our direct supply intakes are assessed on a routine basis. Projections
of river flows at direct intakes are completed based on an assessment of historical river flows
and taking account of the main operating constraints such as the minimum residual flow
(MRF) licence requirements and minimum pump capacities at the respective intakes. The
potential operations of direct supply intakes are projected using Environment Agency flow
categories as described in Section 5.1 and the worst historical recorded flows.
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An example of a projection using this approach, as completed for our abstraction intake on
the River Wensum in Norwich, is presented in Figure 23. We also use rainfall-runoff models
to simulate river flow projections based on specific rainfall scenarios. This supplements the
use of historical flow data for the planning of future drought impacts to aid with supply
forecasting and drought management decision making.
67
Figure 23 Flow categories, pumping constraints and recorded flows in the River Wensum
Examples of projections that we carried out in 2006 for our intakes of the River Wensum,
the River Nar and the River Wissey are presented in Appendix 5.
5.3 Groundwater Source Drought Forecasting
Forecasting the likely impacts on groundwater source potential yields is based on the
collection of accurate historical flow and water level data and consideration of master
recession curves for each aquifer sub-unit. Continuous monitoring at our drought-vulnerable
sources is provided by our telemetry system.
Water levels are also monitored at observation boreholes managed by the Environment
Agency. Monthly water level updates provided from the Environment Agency are plotted and
indicate actual recession curves as they occur. This underpins our analysis of long term
aquifer conditions.
Water level forecasts are completed for all of our drought-vulnerable groundwater sources.
Forecasts are derived using the Groundwater Level Forecasting (GWLF) tool and predict
groundwater levels in the short to medium term. Forecast levels are then assessed against
the drought alert curves that have been developed for that specific source and identify if that
source will be at risk of a loss of deployable output under the forecast conditions.
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The GWLF tool is run by projecting historical regional groundwater level data, as measured
at the Environment Agency observation boreholes, from previous summer (May to October)
and winter (November to April) periods forward in time from the current observed water
level. The model can be used to test different rainfall scenarios to forecast water levels up
to 18 months in advance as illustrated in Figure 24.
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Figure 24 GWLF forecast of groundwater levels in the Central Lincolnshire Limestone
Part Three
Drought Measures to Manage
Supply and Demand
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Drought Measures to Manage
Supply and Demand
6 Drought Measures to Manage Supply and Demand
The following sections of our drought plan outline the measures that we will take to
maintain supplies during periods of drought.
Section 6.2 outlines all of our demand-side management options that we may impose
during a drought including the new powers to restrict domestic hosepipe use.
Section 6.3 outlines the supply-side management options that we have developed for
all of our sources.
Section 6.4 describes the drought permits and orders that we may require.
6.1 Overview
As with our water resources management planning, we will follow a twin-track approach to
managing our supplies during a drought. In the first instance we will seek to manage the
demands on the water, before we instigate any of the available supply-side measures.
The timetable for the introduction of management actions is reactive to both the intensity
and the duration of a rainfall deficit. A short intense summer drought will require a different
approach to a sequence of winters with below-average recharge to water resources in
aquifers and pumped storage reservoirs. The prolonged 1988-92 drought was characterised
by the impact on groundwater resources and base flow to rivers, notably during the summer
of 1991; by contrast the exceptionally low rainfall in 2011 has placed greater initial stress on
surface water storage.
In Section 6.2 we detail the activities that we undertake to manage demand through enhanced
customer communications, water efficiency, metering and leakage management. In addition
to increasing our activity in these areas, as a drought intensifies we may look to implement
restrictions on customer use through application of the new powers afforded to water
companies under the Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010.
The supply-side drought management actions are then detailed in Section 6.3 for our surface
water abstractions and vulnerable groundwater sources. A number of these actions may
have potential environmental impacts and as such will require a drought permit or drought
order as described in Section 6.4. We describe the difference between the two, and provide
detail as to where we may seek these special measures. In Section 7 we provide further
detail regarding the associated environmental assessments and monitoring requirements.
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The key changes that we have made since our last drought plan are:
Demand side – the introduction of the Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 that
enables us to restrict a larger range of activities using a hosepipe.
Supply side – we have increased the number of sources where we may seek a drought
permit and have included details of the actions at our vulnerable groundwater sources.
71
Any supply or demand-side measures will be implemented as a result of timely and
proportionate decisions taken by the Drought Management Team. Actions will aim to secure
supplies during the drought period with minimal disruption to customers, the environment
and other water users.
6.2 Demand Side Management Actions
The following section outlines all of our demand-side management actions. These
range from our ongoing commitment to ‘Waterwise’ behaviour to increased activities
as a drought progresses from publicity campaigns, through to more formal restrictions
on demand and ultimately standpipes.
Our commitment to promote water efficiency is a central objective in our 25-year Strategic
Direction Statement (SDS) as published in 2010. The conservation of water through our
promotion of water efficiency is a legal duty that we support as part of our day-to-day
business.
The figure below illustrates how the demand for water in our region grew steadily from the
1960s to 1990. Since privatisation in 1989 the number of properties that we supply has
increased by over 20 percent but demand has stabilised. This is a result of better demand
management initiatives, leakage control, household metering and a decline in water used
in industry.
Anglian Water Services
Water Supplied (Ml/d) 1963 onwards
1400
Quantity into Supply (Ml/d)
1200
1000
800
Unmanaged
Managed
Controlled?
600
400
200
Ye
a
19 r
64
19
66
19
68
19
70
19
72
19
74
19
76
19
78
19
80
19
82
19
84
19
86
19
88
19
90
19
92
19
94
19
96
19
98
20
00
20
02
20
04
20
06
20
08
20
10
20
12
20
14
20
16
20
18
20
20
20
22
20
24
20
26
20
28
20
30
0
Year
Water Supplied (Ml/d)
Figure 25 Water supplied 1963 to 2012
The central themes of our demand management strategy are:
Encouraging customers to move to a measured water supply. We aim to have 95% of
homes fitted with a meter by 2020.
Continuing to operate at the lowest level of leakage in the industry. We are currently
10 per cent below our Ofwat target leakage levels and continue to invest in new detection
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technology, including our effective new Integrated Leakage and Pressure Management
System. Leakage levels today are 30 per cent lower than they were 20 years ago. We
are aiming for a leakage level no greater than 172 Ml/d by 2020, which is 18% lower
than our Ofwat target.
Encouraging Waterwise behaviour by all of our customers through education, information,
practical assistance, and where appropriate, site specific advice.
During periods of potential drought and drought there are a number of demand-side options
that can be introduced. These are:
Publicity campaign to use water wisely.
Encourage meter optants.
Leakage reduction.
Temporary water use ban (LoS 1).
Drought Order ban to restrict non-essential use (LoS 2).
Rota cuts/use of standpipes (LoS 3).
The potential savings for each demand measure are considered further in Appendix 2, which
also includes as assessment of the potential savings that would be realised in each Resource
Zone. The tables presented in Appendix 2 are in accordance with the Environment Agency
guidelines.
These are discussed in the following Sections.
6.2.1 Publicity Campaigns
The promotion of water efficiency is a legal duty under the Water Industry Act 1991, the
Environment Act 1995 and the Water Act 2003. A consistently high level of water
efficiency-related communications is maintained with our customers. This is achieved via
a continuous programme of direct and indirect communications encouraging domestic,
commercial and industrial customers to be ‘Waterwise’. Details of the promotion of water
efficiency measures that we undertake in our normal business contact with customers are
provided in Appendix 9.
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In addition to customer mailings as part of their billing literature, we promote water efficiency
via a number of other well-established activities as detailed in Table 11.
Initiative
Detail
Water efficiency
measures
(WEMS)
A proactive policy promoting water saving in the home, which is closely
associated with our enhanced metering programme. 87,500 household
water efficiency audits are planned in AMP5. Water saving advice will
be provided with the option for customers to request retro-fit of
water-saving devices. Our objective is to reduce household demand
by a nominal 10% in targeted areas by 2015.
Information to
businesses
We routinely offer water efficiency audits to identity water-saving
opportunities for industrial customers. We also work collaboratively
with a company called WRAP to provide a free water efficiency support
package to small to medium businesses, promoted via our website
and targeted customer emails.
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Initiative
Detail
Other water
efficiency
services
We provide dedicated account management to any business using
large volumes of water or generating sizeable volumes of trade
effluent. This provides services such as process advice, leakage find
and fix, smart metering, water pressure management, water recycling
and engagement campaigns to promote behavioural change for our
customers’ customers or employees.
Tariffs
Industrial tariffs provide incentives for customers to save water. Smart
meters allow access to near real-time water consumption data.
Community
activity
Initiatives are continually ongoing, promotion of ‘Waterwise’ messages,
advice and products at regional, county and environmental
shows/events. Water efficiency sessions are carried out by our
education team for children and adults in our classrooms and mobile
education centre. We also work with local groups on individual projects
to explore effective means of promoting the concept of water efficiency
with our customers.
Internet
www.anglianwater.co.uk is a powerful communications channel allowing
promotion of ‘Waterwise’ message to be accessed by a large audience.
Internal
communications
The current water resource situation is updated weekly and published
on our internal website. A situation report is published each month
which informs performance monitoring to our Management board. This
will be used to identify the onset of potential drought conditions and
the need for the Drought Team Management to convene.
Table 11 Water efficiency activities
During potential drought conditions we would increase the level of communication and
awareness to the potential drought well in advance of any actual drought having an impact
on water supplies. We would maintain our activities undertaken under normal conditions,
but focus additional effort to increase awareness of these activities. We would seek to
maximise coverage of our waterwise activities and increase communication of proactive
messages encouraging features, regular resource updates and radio phone-ins.
With the onset of drought conditions we would maintain a flexible approach for effective
communication with customers and the community at large. The Drought Management
Team will be responsible for developing an appropriate drought communication package in
line with our Communication Strategy as outlined in Appendix 9. This would be properly
integrated with our ongoing communications strategy and would be reactive to the severity
of the drought, as measured by its intensity and duration and its spatial impact. Links will
be developed with the Environment Agency and other bodies as appropriate. We would
review the need to set up Regional or National drought groups with neighbouring companies
and/or Water UK, to enable us to continue with the excellent collaborative approaches that
were adopted during the 2011-12 drought, and also ensure clarity of messages to our
customers and the media. The effectiveness of liaison in previous droughts has been
measured by the adoption of timely measures and responses in order to maintain the security
of public water supplies.
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The assumed demand savings resulting from direct publicity campaigns is 3-10 per cent
dependent on the time of year.
6.2.2 Meter Optants
As part of our commitment to water efficiency we continue to promote the household metering
programme based on providing meters on request. This is accompanied by a water meter
leaflet that provides water efficiency information with additional information available on
request.
It has been shown that measured supplies provide the incentive of more efficient use of
water and also serves to reduce customers supply pipe leakage by highlighting high levels
of consumption. Our aim is to have 95 per cent of homes fitted with a meter by 2020.
We have an enhanced metering programme that involves proactive meter installations in
targeted areas of our water supply that have been identified as being in serious or moderate
water stress. Once the meter is fitted the customer has the option to be charged on a
measured basis. After any change of occupancy the meter will automatically become
effective. By 2015 we aim to install approximately 184,000 meters in targeted areas.
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Drought Plan 2014
During periods of potential drought and drought we would look to target delivery of this
programme to implement meter installations in areas that are most at risk of impacts of the
drought. During the 2011-12 drought we focused efforts on those areas that were identified
by the Environment Agency as being under the greatest drought stress as shown in the
Figure 26.
75
Figure 26 Potential target zones for accelerating enhanced
metering and water efficiency measures (based on the
Environment Agency's assessment of areas drought risk in June
2011)
6.2.3 Leakage
Managing water resources efficiently is a key business goal for Anglian Water. During
2012-13 we reached our lowest ever (and industry leading) rate of leakage which, at 4.97
cubic metres per kilometre of main per day (m3/km/d), continues to be almost half the industry
average of 8.87 m3/km/d. We have achieved this through significant recent investment,
notably in our innovative new Integrated Leakage and Pressure Management System that
allows us to detect leaks quicker and to improve our response times. We also provide
specialist advice service on leakage control to commercial and industrial customers where
requested.
Given our status as an area of serious water stress, leakage control remains a critical element
of our supply-demand strategy. In AMP5, we continue to maintain our leakage at or
significantly below target levels. Our target level of leakage is determined using a cost-benefit
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approach based on the sustainable economic level of leakage (SELL). This approach is in
line with Ofwat best-practice guidance and ensures that the social, environmental and carbon
costs associated with leakage management are fully accounted for. The SELL target is
calculated as follows:
Base activity SELL: The level of leakage which is effective in minimising the combined
cost of producing water which is lost from our system and leakage control. Leakage
control above this base activity SELL will cost us more than the value of the water
which is saved and therefore is not cost-beneficial. This is calculated and included as
our baseline in the WRMP.
Assessment of the social, environmental and carbon costs (external costs) associated
with leakage to determine the short-term SELL.
Additional activity SELL: This is calculated as part of the process for restoring the
supply demand balance in planning zones that go into deficit in the WRMP. In these
zones, the cost and benefits of additional leakage control are assessed against the
costs and benefits of other options for restoring the supply demand balance. Where
additional leakage is more cost-beneficial it is selected.
In calculating SELL costs we consider private and internal costs and the external social and
environmental costs. This is in accordance with Ofwat guidance.
We recognise that credible leakage performance influences customers’ belief in times of
drought. During the 2004-06 drought and during the winter of 2011-12, substantial additional
resources were invested into leakage detection and the repair programme. During 2012-13
we invested £17 million on proactive leakage control and £18 million on reactive repair work,
and deployed on average 128 leakage technicians throughout the year. The additional
investment between 2011 and 2013 has enabled us to achieve the lowest levels of leakage
in the industry. Our leakage level in 2012-13 was 189 Ml/d, our best ever leakage
performance and 10% lower than our Ofwat target of 211 Ml/d.
This policy contributed to our success in promoting the water conservation message.
Therefore in periods of potential drought and drought we will continue to intensify our leakage
efforts, increasing gangs in the field, reducing ‘find and fix’ times and prioritising workloads
whilst continuing the main activities in our leakage programme.
The amount of water that we lose through leakage is 30 per cent less now than it was 20
years ago. However, through the consultation process for our PR14 Business Plan our
customers made it clear that leaks remain a particular concern. In response, we have set
ourselves our toughest ever target on leakage, aiming for no more than172 Ml/d by 2020.
The Drought Management Team will co-ordinate a leakage response programme to ensure
that in drought periods when we are trying to conserve water supplies that we invest
proportionately in conserving our own supplies.
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Drought Plan 2014
6.2.4 Temporary Water Use (Hosepipe) Bans (Level of Service 1)
This section details the demand restrictions that we may impose on domestic customers
via a hosepipe ban under the new Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 and how
we would propose to implement them in the event of a drought.
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The original ‘hosepipe use’ restriction under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act (WIA)
1991 applied only to the watering of private gardens and the washing of private motor cars.
Other activities such as filling a paddling pool or cleaning windows using a hosepipe were
still permitted. Following the imposition of hosepipe bans by some water companies during
the 2004-06 drought it was recognised that the existing legislation did not provide water
companies or their customers with suitable transparency on restricting activities that involved
the use of hosepipes.
Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government undertook a comprehensive review of these
powers and in October 2010 approved amendments to Section 36 of the Flood and Water
Management Act 2010. The new legislation on temporary use restrictions now extends the
activities that may be prohibited and allows us to take proportionate action to protect public
water supplies. These new powers may allow us to delay or avoid the need for a drought
permit or order under the Water Resources Act 1991 and will ensure a balance is struck
between the needs to conserve water for essential domestic purposes, whilst ensuring that
any potential environmental impacts are minimised.
The new powers
The Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 has modernised and widened the scope of
the hosepipe ban powers to enable water companies to potentially realise more water savings
without the need to apply for drought orders. The activities that can be restricted under these
new powers will primarily affect domestic customers only.
In accordance with the Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 the activities that may be
restricted are as follows:
Watering a garden using a hosepipe.
Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe.
Cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe.
Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe.
Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming pool or paddling pool.
Drawing water using a hosepipe for domestic recreational use.
Filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe.
Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain.
Cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises using a hosepipe
Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe.
Most of the uses of water that may be prohibited under these powers only apply to the use
of water drawn through a hosepipe or similar apparatus (by definition this would include
sprinklers and pressure washers). The exception to this is filling or maintaining a domestic
swimming pool or paddling pool and filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain, in which
the use of water which may be prohibited extends to all means of filling (except for handheld
containers), including fixed or permanent plumbing.
The new powers do not:
Restrict commercial, agricultural or horticultural use.
Include any activities that are necessary for health and safety reasons (i.e. necessary
to remove or minimise any risk to human or animal health/safety or prevents/control
the spread of causative agents of disease).
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Before imposing any temporary restriction we must be confident that a serious deficiency of
water for distribution exists or is under threat. Hosepipes and sprinklers use large amounts
of water and are often left unattended, so a restriction would be effective in conserving water
for public water supplies. The temporary ban would restrict use of domestic hosepipes and
sprinklers; however, these powers do not restrict any of the above activities being undertaken
using:
A bucket or watering can filled by hand.
Grey water use (bath/wash water).
Rainwater collected in a water butt.
Implementation of the new powers
Our interpretation is in accordance with the guidance presented in the UK Water Industry
Research (UKWIR) Code of Practice, as updated in 2013 to incorporate lessons from the
2011-12 drought. Under the new powers water companies have the flexibility to prioritise
and sequence different categories of restrictions. This could mean the restriction of different
activities at different times and in different areas, which in turn would involve protracted and
complicated consultation with our customers in order to consider comments and requests
for exemptions.
Effective management of this approach would be challenging. If a multi-phased approach
were adopted we would need to be confident that we could ensure an effective consultation
process and implement any phasing of restrictions without bias or prejudice to any specific
groups.
We also feel that a phased approach to customer restrictions could lead to confusion and
the risk that the message is diluted such that potential water savings are reduced.
As a result, we believe a single phased temporary restriction of all hosepipe activities as
detailed in the Water Use (Temporary Bans) Act 2010 would provide the most unbiased and
effective approach for all of our customers. We are confident that a single restriction would
be best placed to meet challenges faced in our region and provide a fair and reasonable
way to ask all customers to conserve water supplies during a period of drought.
If the situation deteriorates further and requires us to consider the application for drought
orders, this early restriction on all hosepipe usage would demonstrate that we as a water
company had taken all necessary steps to conserve water supplies and protect the
environment in a timely and effective manner.
We would allow an appropriate consultation period in which any representations could be
made via our website, contacting a customer services representative or writing directly to
us. Following the consultation period we would formally publish a statement of response
outlining our consideration to any representations received.
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Any temporary restriction would be preceded by a rigorous publicity campaign that would
proactively engage with our customers about the deteriorating situation and the need to
conserve water.
Restrictions would be imposed for the minimum period required and would be lifted with
immediate effect once the situation had stabilised.
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Concessions and exceptions
As a water undertaker we plan on the basis that on occasion, we may have to impose
restrictions during long periods of very dry weather or drought. No compensation will be
awarded in the event of a temporary restriction on water usage.
The full list of statutory exceptions is included in Appendix 10. In addition to these, Anglian
Water grant the following Discretionary Exceptions without the need to make representation
or obtain permission:
Those with severe mobility problems or who hold a Blue Badge as issued by their Local
Authority;
Use of drip or trickle watering system, fitted with a pressure reducing valve and a timer,
that are not handheld and which place water by drip directly onto the soil surface or
beneath the soil surface, without the surface run-off or dispersion of water through the
air using a jet or mist.
We will consider exceptions for businesses whose commercial activity would be affected by
the imposition of restrictions, although the exception may be withdrawn if the water resources
situation were to deteriorate further or non-essential use restrictions were imposed.
Businesses that we may consider are those users of water engaged in cleaning of private
motor-vehicles using a hosepipe and cleaning of walls, or windows of domestic premises
using a hosepipe as a service to customers.
In order to provide transparency, any other exceptions would need to be managed and
approved via the representation process. All applications for exceptions must be made within
the prescribed consultation period and a formal response will be published to identify
exceptions that have been approved.
Full details of the process for customer representation and how we will consider and respond
are provided in Appendix 10.
Monitoring and review of temporary restrictions
A post-implementation review of the impacts and demand savings of these provisions will
be completed after a drought period. The review will identify predicted and actual water
savings achieved through these powers. Analysis of representations and evidence of impacts
received throughout the onset of a drought will support future restrictions and give customers
confidence that their interests are being considered and that effective measures will be taken
to minimise the impact on water supplies and on the environment during future droughts in
our region.
We currently assume a demand saving of 3 to 10 per cent as a result of the temporary use
restrictions and associated activities as detailed in Appendix 2.
The review of savings following the restrictions that were imposed in 2012 proved a demand
saving of 6 per cent.
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6.2.5 Non-Essential Use Ban Restrictions (Levels of Service 2)
This section details the demand restrictions that we may impose on non-domestic
customers and how these would be implemented during more severe drought conditions.
Drought orders can be sought by a water company to restrict the use of water in the form of
a restriction of non-essential use. In addition to domestic customers, these restrictions will
also affect commercial customers and businesses.
Restrictions on non-essential use are included in our reservoir control curves at a frequency
of not more that 1 year in 40. The application of drought orders to restrict the use of water
in areas supplied by groundwater sources is determined in response to local conditions of
supplies and demands.
Drought orders to restrict non-essential use must be granted by the Secretary of State. The
Drought Direction 2011 outlines the activities that would be restricted under normal drought
order as follows:
Watering outdoor plants on commercial premises.
Filling or maintaining a non-domestic swimming or paddling pool.
Filling or maintaining a pond.
Operating a mechanical vehicle washer.
Cleaning any vehicle, boat, aircraft or railway rolling stock.
Cleaning non-domestic premises.
Cleaning a window of a non-domestic premises.
Cleaning industrial plant.
Suppressing dust.
We would consult widely before any of these restrictions were imposed and we would only
apply for specific restrictions where we were confident that we would realise appropriate
demand savings. With the exception of those with severe mobility problems (Blue Badge
holders) we would not propose the permission of any other exemptions or concessions
unless on the grounds of health and safety in line with Section 6.2.4. The process of
representation would also be consistent with that discussed in Section 6.2.4.
The estimated demand savings for non-essential use restrictions range from 14 to 20 per
cent as detailed in Appendix 2.
6.2.6 Emergency Drought Order (Level of Service 3)
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This section details the most severe customer restrictions that we could impose in a
drought. These would only ever be considered in the event that water supplies were
severely depleted due to an exceptional shortage of rain.
Under the scope for emergency drought orders we may apply to the Secretary of State to
limit or prohibit the use of water for any purpose we consider appropriate or the introduction
of standpipes and rota cuts to conserve water supplies. The application and enactment of
standpipes and rota cuts would result only if the drought was of sufficient intensity and
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duration to exceed the worst recorded conditions. These are currently included in our
reservoir control curves at a frequency of not more than one year in 100, and form the basis
of the level of service 3 trigger curve.
This would only be implemented in the most extreme of circumstances and only where it
would be necessary to impose the use of standpipes as a result of drought conditions.
Where customers experience interruptions to supply as a result of an emergency drought
order we would award compensation, in accordance with Condition Q in our Instrument of
Appointment.
Appendix 2 estimates demand savings that would result from the use of standpipes and rota
cuts as ranging from 34 to 52 per cent.
Consultation and discussion at national and regional level during the 2011-12 drought
highlighted that it is no longer acceptable to include a planned level of service that may result
in the imposition of standpipes or rota cuts for our customers. In response to this we consulted
further though our water resources management plan, and have agreed to start work in 2015
on the detailed design, planning and further consultation for a new raw water transfer from
the River Trent to enhance the levels of service in our Ruthamford supply system.
6.2.7 Other Demand Management Options
During periods of drought we may consider the suspension of our planned maintenance
programmes including mains flushing. Some level of flushing is required to maintain water
quality and to ensure health and safety is not jeopardised; however, we would undertake a
review to understand if there was potential to minimise this to conserve water supplies.
In the event of a drought, we would also minimise the test pumping of boreholes, minimise
treatment losses and review blend options. During the 2011-12 drought we also identified
'extreme pressure management' as a potential option, although this is still under review.
6.3 Supply Side Management Actions
The following section outlines our supply-side management actions. These are described
in the following categories:
Reservoirs.
Direct river intakes.
Drought-vulnerable groundwater sources.
Supply-side management actions are the measures that we may employ to increase supply
during a drought, over and above the activities we ordinarily undertake. As detailed in Section
2.5, our policy on water supply since privatisation has been to invest in supply-side schemes
to ensure security of supplies against drought (based on an 80-year return period) and to
minimise potential environmental impacts resulting from our abstractions. Many of these
schemes have been developed and tested during the severe droughts experienced in the
1990s and 2000s and have included:
Integration and extension of supply networks; in particular extension of the Ruthamford
system eastwards and northwards.
Securing groundwater source outputs by the development of satellite boreholes.
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Backup for the more vulnerable direct river abstractions through developing new
groundwater sources.
Aggregation of abstraction licences to maintain security and increase operational
flexibility of supplies.
Increasing our capacity for conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources to
reduce the impact of drought and climate change.
Modification of abstractions and provision of works to reduce environmental impact
through implementation of the National Environment Programme.
Supply-side drought management options have been outlined for each of our RZs in Appendix
3. The associated tables provide details on the option implementation assessment, triggers,
implementation timeframe, permissions and yield saving in each zone. The tables are
presented in accordance with the structure as specified in the Environment Agency
guidelines. The details of the environmental assessments for the supply-side measures
potentially requiring a drought permit are considered further in Section 7 and the tables are
presented in Appendix 7.
Generic supply-side options include:
Maximising outputs from all sources in the RZ: many RZs have both surface water and
groundwater sources that can be managed conjunctively. During a drought we would
look to optimise use of sources to meet demand and look for options to transfer between
adjacent RZs. The Environment Agency has recently produced a Technical Briefing
to explain how the Water Framework Directive objective of ‘no deterioration’ to water
bodies applies to public water supply abstractions. We are working with the Environment
Agency to understand the implications in relation to our planned capital investments.
Engineering work: we would look to develop or fast-track any supply demand schemes
available to improve infrastructure and connectivity to secure supplies, both within inter
and intra RZ.
Pressure reduction: identify opportunities of reducing pressure within RZs to conserve
supplies.
Additional output/commissioning of sources: develop potential schemes to improve
output of existing assets, or create new sources.
Bulk Imports: identify potential for short-term bulk supply imports from neighbouring
companies where possible.
The following sections consider these options in more detail.
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6.3.1 Drought Management Actions for Reservoirs
Details of our main reservoirs are provided in Section 4.1. If, at any time of the year, storage
levels fall below the normal operating curve then storage and supply are insecure (as
measured against modelled 80-year storage values), as the reservoir could ultimately empty
should dry conditions prevail. Opportunities to raise storage during normal or potential
drought conditions could include river augmentation (to increase the water available for
pumped reservoir refill), treated water rezoning (to off-set demand to alternative sources)
and increased public awareness. Specific additional actions that may be taken when storage
falls during a drought are detailed in Table 12.
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Reservoir
Drought Management Action
Alton Water
Transfer of water from the abstraction point on the MillRiver
50% reduction to the minimum residual flow condition at the abstraction
point on the River Gipping (permit)
Ardleigh
River augmentation scheme
Increase augmentation volumes by 50% (permit)
Utilise Ely-Ouse Essex Transfer scheme via Toppesfield Brook
Transfer from Essex & Suffolk Water
Covenham
Section 20 agreement to utilise Great Eau transfer
Grafham Water
50% reduction to the minimum residual flow condition at the abstraction
point on the River Great Ouse (permit)
Rutland Water
50% reduction to the minimum residual flow condition at the abstraction
point on the River Nene (permit)
Reduce the volume of water discharged from the reservoir for the
Gwash-Glen transfer (order)
Pitsford
50% reduction to the minimum residual flow condition at the abstraction
point on the River Nene (permit)
Table 12 Reservoir drought management measures
For reservoirs in Ruthamford, which is partly integrated, we would optimise the balance of
storage and minimise the severity of drought impacts on any one reservoir. This would be
achieved by maximising the conjunctive use of all sources in this RZ. During the 2011-12
drought, we identified the option to accelerate investment to re-commission one of our Lower
Greensand groundwater sources and our Foxcote reservoir. Both of these have been
subjected to an environmental assessment to ensure compliance with the Water Framework
Directive, and as a result only the groundwater option was progressed.
We have entered into a ‘Section 20’ water resources management agreement with the
Environment Agency for our operation of the transfer scheme to support abstraction for
Covenham via the Great Eau. We also have the Rutland Water Agreement with the
Environment Agency to ensure that we discharge sufficient water from the reservoir to support
flows in the River Gwash to allow subsequent transfer to the River Glen (as operated by the
Environment Agency). This is to compensate for our Lincolnshire Limestone groundwater
abstractions; however, recent assessments have indicated that the current minimum residual
flow conditions may be too high and the Environment Agency is reviewing options to reduce
the volumes. In the meantime, any changes to the transfer licence would require a drought
order as it is owned by the Environment Agency.
The potential also exists to utilise the Ely-Ouse to Essex transfer scheme (EOETS), which
is operated by the Environment Agency. This transfers water that would have flowed out to
the Wash to augment the yield of the reservoirs operated by Essex and Suffolk Water.
Ardleigh Reservoir can also be supported by a direct discharge from the transfer pipeline to
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Abberton Reservoir, owned by Essex & Suffolk Water, which carries water from the EOETS.
Discussions with Essex and Suffolk Water are progressing to identify opportunities to use
this transfer to support Ardleigh Reservoir, if required as a contingency under exceptional
circumstances.
Further detail of the reservoir supply-side drought measures that would require applications
for drought permits are provided in Section 6.4.
In our previous drought plan we included the supply-side option to seek a drought permit to
augment flows in the Mill River. We have re-assessed the available flows in the MillRiver
and no longer consider this action to be necessary.
6.3.2 Drought Management Actions for Direct Intakes
Details of our direct supply river intakes are provided in Section 4.2. The resilience of our
direct supply river intakes to drought has been developed through historical investment in
strategic link mains, the provision of bankside storage or local conjunctive use with reservoir
or groundwater sources.
Table 13 provides a summary of how we would maintain supplies to areas supplied by these
direct abstraction sources. Full details are provided in Appendix 5.
Direct intake
Drought management action
Ancholme
Surface water from the River Ancholme is pumped to bankside storage.
Flows in the Ancholme are supported by the Environment Agency-operated
Trent-Witham-Ancholme transfer scheme. Bankside storage provides 10
days storage and would be resilient to periods of low flows as experienced
in 1976 or 1995-2011.
Great Ouse
(Bedford)
Low flows do not generally occur at this abstraction point owing to the extent
of effluent returns in the upstream catchment; therefore abstraction is
unlikely to be affected during drought. Should levels threaten abstraction
supplies would switch to Grafham Water.
Wensum
(Norwich)
The planned sequence of operation during drought involves relocation of
abstraction to the downstream intake, followed by the introduction of
groundwater support as follows:
Step 1: switch to downstream intake, triggered when measured flow at
Costessey Mill naturalised for our abstractions is less than (Costessey Mill
MRF + min pump capacity + maximum demands).
Increase the annual abstraction quantity from the Costessey boreholes
(permit subject to ongoing investigation).
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Step 2: Use of other Norwich groundwater sources to augment surface
water triggered when measured flow at Costessey Mill is less than (intake
minimum pump capacity + maximum demand).
Nar
The planned support for the River Nar during drought would be the
introduction of localised groundwater sources.
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Direct intake
Drought management action
Wissey
The planned sequence of operation during drought involves the transfer of
water from the Cut-Off channel for release as compensation to the River
Wissey and the augmentation of supply from local groundwater sources.
Temporary increase to groundwater source abstraction licence (permit).
Bath Spring,
Saltersford and
Cringle Brook
During normal operation these intakes are supported via the raw water
transfer from Rutland Water. No current plans to reinstate intakes.
Table 13 Direct river abstraction drought management measures
We have assessed the drought management sequences for the intakes on the Wensum,
Nar and Wissey as presented in Appendix 5. These assessments have proven that there
are occasions during a drought when we would not be able to rely on these intakes under
the existing abstraction licence constraints. We have, therefore included a supply-side
measure for each of these that would require an application for a drought permit.
During the 2011-12 drought we identified an investment need to improve the capacity of the
Cut-Off Channel intake if required during extreme drought events. The work is due to
complete by 2015.
Further detail of the river intake supply-side drought measures that would require applications
for drought permits are provided in Section 6.4.
6.3.3 Drought Management Actions for Groundwater Sources
Details of our drought vulnerable groundwater sources and how we monitor the onset of a
groundwater drought are provided in Section 4.3. The drought alert curve methodology
provides a clear indication 6 to 18 months in advance of the potential onset of drought
conditions at our drought vulnerable groundwater sources. The crossing of individual drought
alert curves at respective observation boreholes is a trigger for mitigation actions at each
source.
As a response to the onset of low groundwater levels the following measures will be taken:
Monthly manual dips of all drought vulnerable boreholes.
The GWLF tool run for drought vulnerable groundwater sources.
Review of UKWIR summary diagrams for drought vulnerable sources.
Manage borehole operation effectively, complete test pumping where required and
reduce source output as necessary to minimise risk to supply.
Anglian Water operational staff to check the status of other water sources within the
supply system and maximise conjunctive use to alleviate pressure on the
drought-vulnerable source.
Re-zoning from more secure sources to be completed to ensure that supplies from
groundwater are maximised in order to augment supplies from areas likely to be affected.
Assign drought mitigation schemes as required; these could include fast-tracking existing
borehole maintenance or replacement schemes or new schemes.
Drought measures for each drought vulnerable groundwater source are detailed in Table
14.
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Groundwater source
Action
West Bradenham
New source drilled and commissioned in 2012 to provide additional standby and
reduce risk during drought.
Winterton Holmes
New source drilled in 2012 and to be commissioned to provide additional standby
and reduce risk during drought.
Didlington
New source drilled and commissioned in 2012 to provide additional standby and
reduce risk during drought.
Metton
Satellite source drilled and commissioned in 2008 to provide additional standby
and reduce risk during drought.
Marham
Source only at risk during exceptional demand or following failure at river intake.
Wellington Wellfield provides emergency standby.
Southfields
New source drilled and commissioned in 2008 to provide additional standby and
reduce risk during drought. Import from Cambridge Water available.
Winterton Carrs No.1
Rezone from adjacent source.
WanehamBridge (Dunston)
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone.
Ashley Road
New source drilled and commissioned in 2008 to provide additional standby and
reduce risk during drought. Import from Cambridge Water available.
Belstead
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone. Additional boreholes have
been drilled to support output at this source.
Congham
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone.
Eriswell 1
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone.
Gayton
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone.
Goxhill 2
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone. Options for a new satellite
borehole to be assessed.
Long Hill
New source drilled and commissioned in 2008 to provide additional standby and
reduce risk during drought. Import from Cambridge Water available.
Lower Links
New source drilled and commissioned in 2008 to provide additional standby and
reduce risk during drought. Import from Cambridge Water available.
Welton
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone.
Westerfield
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone.
Whitton
Rezone from adjacent sources within supply zone. The delivery of a new source
and sourceworks has been planned for 2015.
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Table 14 Drought vulnerable groundwater sources
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6.4 Drought Permits and Drought Orders
This section details the actions that we would seek to undertake to secure additional
supplies that could result in an impact to the environment or other users and would
therefore require an application to the Environment Agency or Secretary of State for a
drought permit or order.
The Water Resources Act 1991 as amended by the Environment Act 1995 and the Water
Act 2003 allows for three legislative ways for dealing with drought situations:
drought permits
drought orders - ordinary
drought orders - emergency
Drought orders and permits can be sought by a water company to secure additional water
resources or to restrict the use of water. These would only be considered under periods of
exceptional shortages of rainfall which result in serious deficiencies in our water supplies.
These are all drought management actions that if granted can allow greater flexibility to
manage water resources and minimise the effects of a drought on public water supply and
the environment.
There are a number of key differences between drought permits and drought orders that
(8)
have been summarised in Table 15 .
Drought permit
Ordinary drought order
Emergency drought
order
Legislation
WRA 1991 Section
79a
WRA 1991 Section 74
WRA 1991 Section 75
Applicant
Water company
Water company or
Environment Agency
Water company or
Environment Agency
Authorised
by:
Environment Agency
Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Powers
To modify or suspend
conditions on an
abstraction in order to
increase water supply
during a drought
Can increase both supply
and restrict non-essential
use of water. This is over
and above temporary
restriction powers to restrict
domestic hosepipe use as
described in Section 6.2.5
To set up and supply
by means of
standpipes or water
tanks
Duration
Up to 6 months
Up to 6 months
Up to 3 months
Extensions
For a further 6 months For a further 6 months
8
For a further 2 months
Based on the summary included in the 'Drought permits and drought orders' Defra document,
May 2011
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Period for
powers to
be granted
Drought permit
Ordinary drought order
Emergency drought
order
Normally within 12
days from date of
application
Normally made within 28
Normally made within
calendar days from date of 28 days from date of
application
application
Table 15 Summary of drought permit / ordinary and emergency drought orders
Before we apply for a drought permit or drought order we will have taken the necessary
measures to conserve supplies and reduce demand on the affected sources, as detailed in
Section 6.2. In particular we would have increased engagement with our customers through
publicity campaigns, imposed temporary restriction on domestic hosepipe use, increased
leakage control and pressure reduction.
Drought Permits - Supply Side
In accordance with the Water Act 2003, we have identified all possible drought permits that
we would seek to secure additional supplies during a drought. Table 16 provides a summary
of the proposed drought permits we would apply for.
Source
Drought permit application
Maximum
Potential
Yield (Ml/d)
Alton Water
50% MRF reduction at intake on River Gipping
Ardleigh
Increase the groundwater abstraction licence for 6
the augmentation boreholes
4.5
River Wensum intake Increase the annual abstraction quantity for the 24
Norwich boreholes and other boreholes. Subject
to ongoing investigations.
Grafham Water
50% MRF reduction at intake on River Great Ouse 68
Pitsford
50% MRF reduction at intake on River Nene
17
Rutland Water
50% MRF reduction at intake on River Nene
62
River Wissey intake
Increased abstraction licence for the supporting
groundwater source
10
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Table 16 Summary of potential drought permits with associated maximum potential yield
We have improved and updated an assessment of the environmental impacts relating to
each of the individual drought permits, and a summary of the assessments is presented in
Appendix 7. We have produced an environmental monitoring plan which identifies the
baseline monitoring that would be required to support a future application. We have
completed these assessments in liaison with the Environment Agency and Natural England
to ensure environmental impacts are fully identified and assessed. Further details can be
found in Section 7.
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We are carrying out additional work to support the environmental assessments for the River
Wensum intake, and the summer drought permit options for Grafham Water and Rutland
Water. We have given our commitment to the Environment Agency and Natural England
that we will present the additional evidence required by December 2014 and that we will not
make an application for a drought permit at these sites before the work is complete. If we
are unable to conclude 'no adverse impact' on the River Wensum Special Area of
Conservation, we will remove the groundwater option from the drought plan and will set out
details of alternative options to be further assessed. Elements of this options identification
process have already been undertaken as part of the project to identify feasible solutions to
address the River Wensum sustainability reduction scheme in the WRMP 2015.
An environmental report will be submitted for each drought permit application to assess the
expected environmental effects of the proposal. The environmental report will include
information on environmental assessments, details from the environmental monitoring plan
and mitigation actions. For any applications that may affect Habitats Directive Sites, Special
Areas of Conservation or Special Protection Areas, Ramsar sites and Sites of Special
Scientific interest we have assessed the likely significant effects or damage to features within
these sites.
Drought permits must be approved by the Environment Agency. A drought permit will only
be granted when it is satisfied with appropriate evidence that there is a serious deficiency
of supplies of water in a given area and that the reason for this deficiency is an exceptional
shortage of rain.
Winter drought permits
Winter drought permit application can be made to increase winter abstractions in order to:
Reduce the risks of drought permits or orders the following summer.
Assist recovery of water supply resources that have been depleted as a result of drought.
Assist the maintenance of water supply in drought affected areas.
Any winter drought permit application must satisfy the criteria for drought permits and must
be applicable to circumstances where a threat to public supplies is significantly greater than
the normal risk to supplies for the time of year. In these cases, we would still take appropriate
mitigation measures to protect the impact on the environment and other abstractors.
Anglian Water agrees with the Environment Agency’s policy that temporary use restrictions
would ordinarily be introduced prior to the application of a drought permit. However under
certain circumstances (such as those experienced during the drought of 2011-12) there may
be compelling reasons supporting the need for an earlier drought permit application. Under
these circumstances we would work closely with the Environment Agency to ensure that our
communication strategy with our customers is sufficient.
Drought Orders – supply side
The environmental assessments completed for each of the sources listed in Table 17 have
highlighted some cases where the environmental impacts of the proposed drought measure
may be more significant during the summer. In these instances the Environment Agency
may advise that it would be necessary to apply to the Secretary of State for a drought order.
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In addition to the supply-side management options that relate to Anglian Water sources, we
have identified options that could be considered in a more severe drought that would require
changes to Environment Agency abstraction licences and therefore an application for a
drought order. These are detailed in Table 17.
Scheme
RZ
Measure
Ely-Ouse to Essex transfer
scheme
South Essex
Increase transfer licence from the
River Great Ouse
Trent-Witham-Ancholme
transfer scheme
Central Lincolnshire Increase transfer licence from the
River Trent
Gwash-Glen transfer scheme Ruthamford North
Reduce MRF at Belmesthorpe on
the River Gwash
Table 17 Potential drought orders
We have not undertaken environmental assessments for any of these schemes and would
expect to discuss each of them with the Environment Agency to determine the requirements
for an environmental assessment in advance of a drought order application. The Environment
Agency includes reference to the option for a drought order application to change the
Trent-Witham-Ancholme transfer scheme in its Anglian Drought Plan 2011 and states the
expectation that we would provide significant input to the process.
We have not included these explicitly in the supply-side management tables presented in
Appendix 3.
Application Process
Any drought permit or order application would be completed in accordance with the procedure
as contained in Schedule 8 of the WRA 1991. This would ensure that:
The broad proposal and justification of need is clearly outlined.
Notice served to all key stakeholders.
Notices are published correctly ensuring public inspection of notices is available.
The content of the Application is compliant with relevant legislation and Environment
Agency guidance.
Any objections are dealt with appropriately.
Publication of the approved notice is made correctly.
Timescales to process drought permit and order applications will vary and be dependent on
the urgency of the situation. The authorising body will normally determine an application
within 12 or 28 days, respectively, where no objections have been received; however, the
whole process could take 2 to 3 months and needs to managed in a timely manner.
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6.5 Additional Supply Side Management Options
This section details the additional supply-side measures that are available to us and
may be considered in a drought.
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6.5.1 Management of Inter-Company Transfers
We are a net exporter of water through the historical provision of statutory bulk supplies from
Grafham Water to Affinity Water (Central) and from Rutland Water to Severn Trent Water.
There is a small net import of water from Essex & Suffolk Water in the Braintree and
Colchester areas. Agreement has been made with Cambridge Water to provide a supply
from the Thetford to Cambridge main. We maintain liaison with all neighbouring water
companies in the preparation of our drought plans and WRMPs.
There are no other specific cases where additional water supplies could be provided between
companies during a drought; however, companies would provide mutual assistance dependent
upon the characteristics of the prevailing drought and their respective availability of water
resources and treated water supplies. There are no bulk supplies between Hartlepool Water
and Northumbrian Water and no existing provisions for emergency cross connections.
6.5.2 Alternative Options
Our drought plan provides a framework for drought management against the worst historical
droughts experienced in our region to date. However, in future we may need to evaluate
those demand- and supply-side options that would be required should a worse drought occur.
The following esoteric options may be considered to secure additional supplies; however,
their cost, environmental impacts and technical complexity have not yet been assessed.
Road tankering.
Desalination of brackish water.
Return of tidal effluent.
Inter-catchment transfers.
Bulk transfers from other water companies
Tanker supplies to major ports.
All of these options will be examined and progressed as part of our long-term water resource
and drought planning. We started to review a number of alternative options further during
rd
the 2011-12 drought when we were concerned about the risk of a 3 dry winter and some
of these options are continuing through a feasibility study. We have not included any further
detail in this plan. We continue to follow the Environment Agency's guidelines for drought
scenario testing based on historical droughts and use the existing hydrological record. In
accordance with the water resources management guidelines, to date, our planning and
investment is based on ensuring that we can maintain public water supplies during the worst
drought that we have experienced since records began (typically 1920). To maintain public
water supplies during a drought worse than we have previously experienced, whilst minimising
any environmental impact, would require significant investment in innovative water resource
solutions or increased storage to bank water during periods of high flow. We will await
guidance on this matter from Government and will continue to consult our customers on their
'willingness to pay' for future drought resilience.
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7 Minimising the Impact of Drought on the Environment
This section details all of the work that we have completed to minimise any environmental
impacts from our drought management actions and the environmental monitoring that
we undertake.
An important part of the drought planning process is to ensure that the environmental impacts
of any of the supply-side management actions that we propose are minimised.
In accordance with the Environment Agency’s guidelines, we have completed environmental
assessments for each of the supply-side drought measures where we consider that there
may be a requirement to apply for a drought permit or drought order.
These assessments are used to determine the environmental sensitivity, the likely impact
of the proposed action and any mitigation measures that may be required to protect the
environment. They are also used to develop an environmental monitoring plan and to identify
any additional information that we would require to support a future application.
7.1 Environmental Assessments
We currently have seven sources where we have identified drought measures that would
require an application for a drought permit to secure additional supplies in a drought. The
sources and corresponding drought measure are listed in Table 18.
Source
Drought measure requiring a drought permit
application
Alton Water
50% MRF reduction at intake on River Gipping
Ardleigh Reservoir
Increase the groundwater abstraction licences for
augmentation
River Wensum intake
Increase the annual abstraction quantity for the boreholes
(subject to ongoing assessment)
Grafham Water
50% MRF reduction at intake on River Great Ouse
Pitsford Reservoir
50% MRF reduction at intake on River Nene
Rutland Water
50% MRF reduction at intake on River Nene
River Wissey intake
Increase the abstraction licence for the supporting
groundwater sources
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Drought Plan 2014
Table 18 Drought measures requiring a drought permit
A summary of the individual environmental assessments is provided in Appendix 7. Full
environmental assessments have been completed for each source identified in Table 18
and are available upon request.
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Further work is required to support the proposed drought measure for the River Wensum
intake. This work is ongoing and we commit to updating the environmental assessment
before any future application for a drought permit for the River Wensum. We are also carrying
out further work to support any future application for a summer drought permit for Grafham
Water and Rutland Water.
The environmental assessments have been completed using a structured approach that fits
the three stage process for the assessment of environmental risk as described in the
Environment Agency’s guidelines. The purpose of the environmental assessments is to
complete a hydrological impact assessment and environmental sensitivity assessment based
on information currently available. The assessments are then used to propose environmental
mitigation measures. They provide a gap analysis that identifies additional information
requirements which form the basis of the environmental monitoring plan for each of the
sources and the proposed timetable for data collection (see Section 7.2).
In accordance with the Environment Agency’s guidelines, the assessment process includes
the following stages:
A. Assessment of environmental risk comprising:
1.
2.
3.
An evaluation of the hydrological/hydrogeological effects that result from the drought
permit
An assessment of the environmental risks and vulnerability that result from those effects
An evaluation of additional monitoring and investigation that may be required for each
site to support a drought permit/order, along with the anticipated timing of data collection
or investigations.
B. Development of an environmental monitoring plan
C. Identification of mitigation measures
Stages A1 and A2 of the assessment form the core part of the environmental assessment.
This part of the assessment includes the incorporation of the Habitats Regulation Assessment
(HRA) screening and evaluation of the risk to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as
designated under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act.
An overview of the methodology that has been followed to complete stages A1 and A2 of
the assessment of environmental risk is illustrated in Figure 27.
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Figure 27 Overview of the approach for stages A1 and A2 of the assessment of
environmental risk
The environmental assessments summarise the key components as outlined by the
Environment Agency that would inform their decision to support a supply-side management
measure application during a drought situation. The Environment Agency guidelines specify
a prescribed format for the provision of information. The format is summarised in Table 19
and the completed tables for each assessment are presented in Appendix 7.
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Element of environmental
assessment
Summary
Risk to the environment
Dependent on season and may differ between winter and
summer.
Summary of likely
environmental impacts
Includes impacts on flow and level, designated sites, on
water quality, ecology and fisheries and navigation.
Baseline information used
Outlines data sources available.
Summary of additional
baseline monitoring
requirements
Identifies monitoring activities that should be carried out
in potential and drought status. These include water
quality monitoring, fish surveys, navigational surveys.
Mitigation measures
Outlines actions that will mitigate against any of the
environmental impacts stated above. And can include
measures such as temporary reductions in abstraction to
enhance ‘flushing’, planned preventative maintenance,
cessation rules imposed as a result of water quality
monitoring, additional treatment at waste water treatment
works.
Impact on other activities
Identifies other potential impacts such as upon fisheries
and restricted right abstractors.
Table 19 Summary of environmental assessment components
In the event of a drought permit being required, these environmental assessments would
form the basis for a comprehensive environmental report that would accompany a drought
permit application.
7.2 Environmental Monitoring Plan
The environmental monitoring plan considers the output of the environmental assessments
completed for all the potential drought permit sites. The report provides a summary of the
monitoring that is routinely gathered and makes recommendations if additional information
is required to address any gaps identified.
The environmental monitoring plan is presented in Appendix 8.
For each of the potential drought permit sites, the data currently available has been
categorised and an assessment of adequacy of the data has been completed.
Recommendations for additional monitoring or assessment have been made for each site.
Consideration has been given to the timing and availability of data during the lead into a
drought.
We will liaise with the Environment Agency to assess the conclusions of the environmental
assessments and the monitoring plan, and agree the most appropriate course of action for
any ongoing requirements.
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7.3 Data Provision
The Environment Agency routinely collects physio-chemical, ecological and hydrological
data within the potentially affected reaches of all of the proposed drought permits sites.
These routine data provides good coverage and enables long term trend analysis of any
changes within the drought permit catchment. We have confirmed with the Environment
Agency that monitoring at these sites will be continued for the foreseeable future. The
environmental monitoring plan identifies additional areas of monitoring that would be required
during the lead up to and the time during which a drought permit was applicable.
During the use of any of the potential drought permits we would maintain close liaison with
the Environment Agency to review the drought monitoring data. This would allow the early
detection of any areas of concern and to agreement of appropriate actions.
Appendix 8 outlines additional areas of monitoring which would be required at each drought
permit site in the lead into and during a drought permit. It also identifies where applicable
recommendations may be needed for monitoring/investigations that would inform risk prior
to future drought permits. These include examination of existing hydraulic and water quality
models to confirm assumptions are correct, fieldwork to support hydrogeological studies and
analysis of navigational demands.
7.4 Habitats Directive and Countryside Right of Way Act
The Environment Agency’s guidelines states that we must ensure that our drought plan
meets the requirements of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulation 2010 and
must determine and undertake if necessary a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) on
the effects of our drought plan on European conservation sites, alone or in combination with
other plans.
Each of our environmental assessments that supports a proposed supply-side management
measure has been subject to a HRA screening (stage one) to ascertain if the proposed
permit would be likely to have a significant effect on an international site.
This has followed the key criteria for the area covered by the drought permit:
Is the proposed drought permit within the boundary of a European site?
Is the proposed drought permit in hydrological continuity with a European site?
Does the proposed drought permit have the potential to affect the interest features of
the European site(s) either directly or indirectly?
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Drought Plan 2014
The conclusions of these assessments identifies if there are any mechanisms by which
potential hazards arising from the proposed drought permits would be likely to have a
significant effect on any European sites.
The information from these assessments has been used to undertake an HRA screening
exercise, which concluded that the majority of the drought management actions identified
within this draft drought plan would not have likely significant impacts on any European site.
Two drought actions (River Nene intake to refill Rutland Water and River Great Ouse intake
to refill Grafham Water) were identified as having the potential to affect habitats and species
within the designated sites, largely due to increased orthophosphate levels. Sites potentially
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affected were the Ouse Washes Special Protection Area, Ramsar and SAC and the Nene
Washes SPA, Ramsar and Special Area of Conservation. An appropriate assessment was
undertaken for these two actions, in consultation with the Environment Agency and Natural
England, and is available on request.
The assessment has concluded that the drought actions as proposed, with the mitigation
measures suggested and the requirement for the HRA at the drought permit or drought order
stage, would not adversely affect the integrity of the European sites. In the unlikely case
that an individual measured subsequently cannot be shown not to have a significant impact
on the integrity of a European site, alternative options would be considered (with an
appropriate assessment if relevant) or a case made for proceedings on the grounds of
Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest. The latter would require compensation
measures to be identified and operational prior to proceeding.
The HRA will be further updated once the additional work for the River Wensum, River Ouse
and River Nene is complete. We will not submit any application for a drought permit at these
sites until this work is complete.
Similarly the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000 requires a water company
to take reasonable steps to further the conservation and enhancement of Sites of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSI) features. This includes operations that are outside of the boundaries
of the site but could affect the site. This has been appropriately considered in the
environmental monitoring plan.
7.5 Strategic Environment Assessment
The Environment Agency's guidelines state that where a specific drought management action
has been assessed as likely to have a significant effect on a European site, then a Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA) will be required. It was concluded from the HRA's
completed for the draft Drought Plan that there was no requirement to subject our plan to
an SEA. In its representation to our draft Drought Plan 2012, the Environment Agency has
stated that it is "good practice to complete an SEA for Water Company Drought Plans" as
the process helps to identify environmental impacts of drought actions and alternative options.
We have requested that this is made more explicit in future revisions of their guidelines.
Natural England, in its representation to the draft Drought Plan 2012, reiterated the opinion
that an "SEA is required, regardless of the requirement (or not) for a HRA, as the Drought
Plan is a statutory plan, and could influence a development plan".
Anglian Water remains of the opinion that the Drought Plan is a management plan, that lays
out the operational framework that we will use to manage public water supplies during a
drought. We do not consider that the Drought Plan sets out a framework for future
development as this detail is included in our Water Resources Management Plan. We have
considered the other criteria defining the need for a SEA and have not been able to conclude
a requirement. Anglian Water does, however, recognise the concerns expressed by the
Environment Agency and Natural England. We therefore completed a SEA scoping report,
upon which we consulted with the relevant statutory bodies, namely the Environment Agency,
Natural England and English Heritage, between February and March 2013. We have
produced an SEA Environmental Report which is published alongside the Drought Plan
2014.
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Drought Management and
Communications Plan
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Drought Management and
Communications Plan
8 Drought Management and Communications Plan
This section describes the plan we have in place to enable the timely and effective
management of a drought, including details of our Drought Management Team.
Our communications plan sets out the actions we would undertake during a drought
event and how we would communicate these with our customers, regulators and key
stakeholders.
Experience from previous droughts in our region has outlined the importance of effective
internal and external liaison. The following sections provide details on the management
structure that would be mobilised at the onset of a drought and how this team will be best
placed to manage us effectively both internally and externally.
8.1 Management Structure - Drought Management Team
Our Drought Management Team is Chaired by the Director of Water Services and includes
senior representatives from across the organisation. The roles and responsibilities of the
core members of the Drought Management Team are defined in Table 20.
Role
Responsibility
Director of Water Services
All activities relating to water supply, water networks, process science, leakage
management and local capital delivery.
Specific drought responsibility to ensure that the water supply system is operating
at full capacity.
Asset Management
Director
All activities relating to the management of our extensive asset base, the associated
investment requirements, investment programme delivery and supply chain
management.
Specific drought responsibility to assess appropriate investment requirements for
key assets (abstraction sources, networks and water treatment works).
Regulation Director
Ensuring that we adhere to all the requirements of our economic, environmental
and quality regulators.
Director of Corporate
Affairs
All internal and external communications.
Specific drought responsibility to ensure that we adhere with the Communications
Plan.
To ensure that we maintain the security of upstream water resources to effectively
manage all aspects of the supply demand balance and regulatory compliance.
Specific drought responsibility to produce and update the drought plan, to monitor
available water resources, to report on drought status, to address environmental
concerns and to identify investment requirements.
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Drought Plan 2014
Head of Water Resources
Table 20 Roles and responsibilities of the Drought Management Team
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The Drought Management Team will convene on a regular basis, as required, with minutes
being maintained by a Drought Management Team technical secretary. The Drought
Management Team will be fully supported by their teams and other experts within the company
as required. Where necessary, sub groups will be set up for the delivery of specific supply
or demand side drought schemes.
Experience from the 2011-12 drought highlighted the importance of creating a central team
with dedicated resources to help co-ordinate the drought response. Depending on the
severity of the drought, the Drought Management Team may choose to form a central Drought
Response Team, with experts seconded from across the business. The Head of the Drought
Response Team would have responsibility for co-ordinating the various sub-groups and
multiple activities being carried out across the business, reporting directly to the Drought
Management Team. The drought governance structure that was adopted during the 2011-12
drought is presented in Figure 28.
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Figure 28 Drought Governance Structure
Once convened, the Drought Management Team has overall responsibility for managing
the drought through to a point when resources have been recovered to normal operating
levels.
Early promotion of communications to our customers is essential at this stage in order to
communicate the potential drought situation and the impacts that this could lead to in due
course. The Drought Management Team includes a communications lead that will deliver
key drought messages and actions both rapidly and effectively. Details of our communications
plan is detailed in Section 8.4 with full details in Appendix 9.
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It is worth highlighting that we have technical experts, managers and directors across all
areas of the business that have good experience in managing drought events in the Anglian
region. These resources will be made available as drought conditions prevail. In addition,
we have an established succession plan to develop water resource specialists in the area
of drought management.
8.2 Internal Drought Management - Emergency Planning
As a water and wastewater company, Anglian Water has a statutory obligation to satisfy our
customers' needs, and that includes protecting the vital services that we provide for them.
The role of our Emergency Planning Team is to work closely with our operations teams on
a variety of resilience plans in order that our obligations are met under the Security and
Emergency Measures Direction (SEMD) 1998.
Response and recovery plans have been prepared for every public water supply zone.
These documents also include reference to plans developed to manage high summer water
demands. The summer demand plans are produced and reviewed by key personnel across
the entire business to ensure that all contingency measures are met in accordance with our
obligations.
A number of policies and procedures have been developed to address emergency events,
including increased summer demands, heat waves and drought.
At the start of each year meetings are held in preparation for the summer months and
associated increased water demand. The activity over the summer period is reviewed in
August/September and a review meeting is arranged to cover significant issues for subsequent
resolution during the following winter. If there are no events causing concern over the
summer, a meeting is not required.
The meeting participants consist of:
Regional Supply Manager.
Tactical Operation Manager.
Water Managers – supply and networks.
Senior works/network technicians.
Leakage Manager.
OMC Senior Duty Manager.
Leakage Delivery Manager.
Water Asset Planner.
Emergency Planner.
This group convenes on a routine basis as part of our ‘business as usual’ management
structure.
Key stakeholders will be involved in the management of all stages of a drought in the Anglian
region as follows:
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Drought Plan 2014
8.3 External Drought Management
A drought planning liaison group will be established with the Environment Agency and
regular liaisons will allow collaborative management of any potential drought. Increased
reporting requirements will be agreed to manage each individual drought and we will
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work closely with the Environment Agency to secure consistency with their area drought
plans.
We will consult closely with the Environment Agency and Natural England to understand
and mitigate any potential impacts on the environment in relation to any drought
orders/permit applications.
Liaison with other licensed water undertakings continues to occur bilaterally and via
regional liaison led by the Environment Agency.
Appropriate public communication will be maintained throughout all stages of a drought
to inform and engage our customers in a timely and effective manner.
8.4 Communications Plan
We have on-going engagement with our customers about water resource issues in our
region, and have developed our Love Every Drop campaign to raise awareness about the
value of water. We want to get people thinking as responsibly about water as millions already
do about recycling. One of our key Love Every Drop goals is to increase customer awareness
about the value of water in our region and to encourage water efficient attitudes and
behaviours.
We consider the encouragement of 'Waterwise' behaviour to be a central theme to our
demand management strategy. Our drought communications plan has been developed to
be consistent with our Love Every Drop campaign and our water efficiency strategy. It aims
to provide a flexible framework of communications that will ensure effective and timely
communications with regulators and customers during a range of scenarios and allows us
to be responsive to individual drought characteristics.
Our ‘Waterwise’ communication messages are tailored to respond as required to normal
conditions, potential drought and actual drought. The approach to our communications
strategy is presented in Appendix 9.
Effective communications that engage customers in a timely manner are essential to reduce
demand to conserve water for water supplies and to protect the environment during a drought.
The key stakeholders that we liaise with are detailed in Table 21. Our communications plan
outlines our liaison with regulators, customer interest groups and other partners at the different
stages of a drought.
Stakeholder
Liaison
Means
Domestic customers
Deliver continuous indirect and direct
communication of the importance of 'Waterwise'
behaviour and education.
Communication in bills.
External messaging.
Website.
Call centre representatives.
Print and broadcast media.
Commercial/industrial
customers
Maintain liaison regarding current situation via
Business Account Managers.
Face to face via Business Account
Managers.
Encourage water conservation through water
efficiency assessments, leakage audits and
process optimisation.
Website.
Emails/letters.
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Stakeholder
Liaison
Means
Business support staff.
Appropriate business media.
Regulators –
Environment Agency,
Defra, Ofwat
Close ongoing liaison at all levels.
Routine meetings and briefings.
Regular water resources situation updates and
sharing of data.
Data sharing.
Email/written. Communications.
Discussion of potential drought/drought issues and
collaborative working to ensure effective and timely Via WaterUK.
actions are taken.
MPs, CCWater,
Regular and open dialogue maintained.
Natural England, Local
authorities
Provision of information via letters, meetings and
situation updates.
Written and verbal communication
as required.
Routine meetings and briefings.
Drought situation updates available on our website. Website updates.
Liaison to enable the message to be communicated
to a wider audience.
Neighbouring water
companies, Water UK
Implement regional and/or national drought groups Workshops, meetings, telephone
to promote collaboration and consistent messaging conferences
Media
'Waterwise' messages and interviews.
Press releases.
Offers of briefings and interviews.
Interviews.
Situation updates and advice as required.
Website.
Briefings to employees.
Intranet.
Updates to customer-facing staff.
Internal briefings.
Internal staff
Table 21 Key stakeholders in our communication plan
Our communications plan clearly demonstrates the link between the proposed demand
management actions that we would take as we move from normal, to potential drought into
drought. These are detailed in Section 6.2 and in full in Appendix 2.
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The communications plan considers the appropriate lead-in times for any communications
actions directly linked to demand, and to a lesser extent, supply-side drought management
actions. We recognise that timely communications are key for effective consultation,
advertising and implementation of any restriction and drought permits and orders. We would
pay considerable attention to communications with customers in relation to the implementation
of the temporary water use restrictions as detailed in Section 6.2.4.
The Drought Management Team will develop an appropriate drought communication package
and also develop links with other bodies as necessary. The communications plan may be
delivered separately for a Resource Zone (RZ) or the region as a whole depending on the
individual drought.
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Our communications plan is cost-effective and has identified the most appropriate and
cost-effective methods of communication. Where a drought affects our neighbouring water
companies we will actively work together and with the Environment Agency to share
information and best practice. We will collaboratively develop and implement collective
responses and activities where appropriate.
Whilst the supply demand planning for drought management options is based on our 19
RZs, we will continue to implement demand management options on a local authority basis.
We believe this will be the most effective way of communicating with our customers in the
areas that are affected. Our most recent experience of imposing customer restrictions during
the 2011-12 drought was at the wider regional level, as we felt that the severity of the
impending drought conditions was serious enough to require all of our customers to play
their part in reducing the demand on water resources. Figure 29 shows the overlap between
RZs and local authorities, and further more detailed plans for each RZ are presented in
Appendix 1.
Figure 29 RZ and Local Authority Boundaries
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We propose to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of drought communication activities
during a drought as part of our post-drought review detailed in Section 9. This would consider
feedback from representatives of customer groups and other institutional organisations,
website hits, requests from customers for information on water efficiency or water saving
devices and the associated change in demand for water during the period of drought.
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Drought Plan 2014
The effectiveness of liaison in previous droughts can be measured in the adoption of timely
measures and responses in order to maintain the security of public water supplies and
effective communication with our customers and regulators.
Part Three
Post Drought Actions
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Part Three
Post Drought Actions
9 Post Drought Actions
This section describes how we identify the end of a drought and return to ‘normal’
conditions. It outlines the comprehensive review of the drought management process
that will be undertaken at the end of a drought and how this will be used to inform future
drought management.
The end of a drought is defined as when the risks of impacts from drought on sources is no
greater than those during a ‘normal year’ and where normal conditions have been monitored
for a period of time. Indicators of the end of a drought are:
Reservoirs have returned to their normal operating targets.
Groundwater levels are in the normal range or recharge rates are recovering.
River flows have returned to normal.
Elimination of an accumulated rainfall deficit.
The return to ‘normal conditions’ will be determined by the analysis of multiple indicators,
with only recovery of all or the majority of sources signifying the end of a drought.
In some cases the return to normal conditions can be difficult to determine and could be
confused with a short respite in a prolonged drought sequence. Where necessary we will
complete modelling of a range of rainfall scenarios to assess if we are still at risk of a drought.
We have ensured consistency between our drought triggers and drought management
actions to ensure our drought management actions reflect the return to ‘normal’ conditions.
Return to ‘normal’ conditions will be agreed formally in liaison with the Environment Agency.
In the scenario that demand restrictions have been in place, these will be lifted with immediate
effect, with communications as detailed in our communication strategy in Section 8.4.
Once normal conditions have been resumed and all restrictions lifted, the Drought
Management Team will undertake a review of our drought management processes against
those as outlined in the drought plan. This will be achieved through evaluating the actions
taken during the drought period and identifying the lessons learned for use in managing and
informing future droughts.
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The review will be completed in liaison with the Environment Agency together with input from
other key consultees. In accordance with the Environment Agency guidelines, the
post-drought review will include:
A lessons learned report within 3-6 months of return to normal conditions; this will be
followed up within a year with evidence that recommendations have been implemented.
A review of the environmental impacts of drought in reference to baseline, in-drought
and post-drought data.
Assessment of whether the baseline monitoring during and after the drought was
appropriate to measure the impact of any drought permits or drought orders.
A review of the effectiveness of any mitigation measures that were implemented during
the drought.
An appraisal of the success, effectiveness and costs of all drought management actions,
including drought permit and drought order applications.
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An assessment of how well individual sources delivered additional water and outline
where reassessments of yields are required or investment required.
An assessment of the estimates of demand reductions from the implementation of
demand-side drought management actions.
Analysis to understand if any changes are required to our demand forecast or our
longer-term demand management strategy if demand patterns experienced during a
drought differ from those assumed in the drought plan.
Identification of future investment schemes required to improve the security of the
upstream and treated water resources.
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Post Drought Actions
Glossary
Glossary
114
Glossary
Glossary
Glossary
Abbreviations and acronyms
ADSO Average Daily Sourceworks Output
AE Actual Evaporation
AMP Asset Management Plan
ARC Ardleigh Reservoir Committee
ASR Aquifer Storage Recovery
CAMS Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy
CCWater Consumer Council for Water
CROW Countryside and Rights of Way Act
DAC Drought Alert Curve
DAPWL Deepest Advisable Pumping Water Limit
Defra Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
DI Distribution Input
DO Deployable Output
EA Environment Agency
ELL Economic Level of Leakage
EOETS Ely-Ouse to Essex Transfer Scheme
GWLF Groundwater Level Forecasting Tool
HRA Habitats Directive Assessment
IWNL Independent Water Networks Limited
l/sec Litres per second
LoS Levels of Service
Miser Strategic water supply system model
MRF Minimum Residual Flow
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Drought Plan 2014
Ml/d Megalitres (1,000,000 litres or 1,000 cubic metres) per day
NEP National Environment Programme
NOC Normal Operating Curve
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NRA National Rivers Authority
OBH Observation Borehole
Ofwat The Water Services Regulation Authority
OMC Operations Management Centre
ONS Office of National Statistics
PCC Per capita consumption - consumption per head of population
PE Potential Evaporation
PPC Per Property Consumption
PR Periodic Review
PZ Planning Zone
RSA Restoring Sustainable Abstractions
RSS Regional Spatial Strategy
RZ Resource Zone
SAC Special Area of Conservation
SDS Strategic Direction Statement
SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment
SELL Sustainable Economic Level of Leakage
SEMD Security and Emergency Measures Direction
SMD Soil moisture deficit
SoSI Security of Supply Index
SPA Special Protection Area
SR Sustainability Reduction
SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest
SWORPS Source Works Output RePorting System
TWA Trent-Witham-Ancholme scheme
UKCIP United Kingdom Climate Impacts Programme
UKCP United Kingdom Climate Projections
UKWIR United Kingdom Water Industry Research
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Glossary
Glossary
WAFU Water Available for Use
WEM Water Efficiency Measures
WET Water Efficiency Target
WFD Water Framework Directive
WIA Water Industry Act 1991
WREP Water Resources Environment Programme
WRMP Water Resources Management Plan
WTW Water Treatment Works
WWTW Waste Water Treatment Works
Key Terms
Aquifer: a geological formation that can store and transmit water in significant quantities..
Available headroom: the difference between WAFU and total demand resulting in a resource
surplus or deficit.
DAPWL: the deepest level to which water in a borehole should be allowed to decline so as
to prevent undesirable effects were the level to decline further.
Deployable output: the quantity of water that can be produced at a water treatment works
on average and at maximum output as limited by abstraction licence, plant capacity or other
constraints.
Minimum residual flow: the minimum amount of water that has to be allowed to flow past a
specified point in a river in order to maintain downstream flows. A condition applied to an
abstraction licence to protect the environment.
Outage: allowance for the unplanned loss of Deployable Output from sourceworks.
Potential yield: the yield of a source or group of sources as constrained only by hydrologic
or well/aquifer properties for specified conditions and demands.
Recharge: natural or artificial replenishment of an aquifer.
Source: a named input to a Resource Zone. A source may contain more than one abstraction
point (boreholes or intakes).
Water available for use: deployable output from sourceworks less outage.
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Drought Plan 2014
Sourceworks: all assets between and including the point of abstraction and the point at which
it is first fit for purpose.