TAKE NOTICE that due to the threat of a serious water shortage in the Yorkshire area caused by an exceptional shortage of rain, YORKSHIRE WATER SERVICES LIMITED (company number 02366682) whose registered office is at Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ is applying to Defra for a drought order in the River Ouse catchment under section 79a of the Water Resources Act 1991 (as amended).

The drought order is intended to apply for six months and proposes an increase in the volume of water that Yorkshire Water can abstract at Moor Monkton when River Ouse flows at Skelton are below 1,000,000 cubic metres per day.

Moor Monkton (grid reference SE 52 57)

Yorkshire Water is authorised to abstract water from the River Ouse at Moor Monkton under terms specified in licence serial numbers NE/027/0024/065 and 02/027/0024/158. The aggregate maximum quantity of water Yorkshire Water is authorised to abstract from Moor Monkton, under the terms of both licence agreements, is limited to 12,500 cubic metres per hour; 300,000 cubic metres per day and 73,000,000 cubic metres per year.

Under the terms of licence numbers NE/027/0024/065 and 02/027/0024/158, the abstraction is limited to: 300,000 cubic metres per day when flow at Skelton monitoring station is more than 1,000,000 cubic metres per day; 150,000 cubic metres per day when flow at Skelton monitoring station is between 650,000 and 1,000,000 cubic metres per day; 72,000 cubic metres per day when flow at Skelton is between 400,000 and 650,000 cubic metres per day; and 10,000 cubic metres per day when flow at Skelton is less than 400,000 cubic metres per day.

The drought order applications for the River Ouse at Moor Monkton is to temporarily alter the conditions specified in licence numbers NE/027/0024/065 and 02/027/0024/158 to allow Yorkshire Water to abstract an additional 60,000 cubic metres per day when flows are below 1,000,000 cubic metres per day. This would limit abstraction to: 300,000 cubic metres per day when flow at Skelton monitoring station is more than 1,000,000 cubic metres per day; 210,000 cubic metres per day when flow at Skelton monitoring station is between 650,000 and 1,000,000 cubic metres per day; 132,000 cubic metres per day when flow at Skelton is between 400,000 and 650,000 cubic metres per day; and 70,000 cubic metres per day when flow at Skelton is less than 400,000 cubic metres per day. The aggregate volumes specified in both licence numbers NE/027/0024/065 and 02/027/0024/158 would not change.

The drought order will allow Yorkshire Water to abstract an additional 60,000 cubic metres per day at flows below 1,000,000 cubic metres per day from the River Ouse at Moor Monkton for up to six months. This will mean that Yorkshire Water can continue to supply customers using river water, helping reservoir stocks to recharge, which will help maintain supply to customers in the Yorkshire area. An assessment of the potential environmental impacts of implementing the drought order has been carried out in consultation with the Environment Agency and Natural England.

Anyone may inspect the proposals at the following locations, free of charge, during normal working hours for a period of seven calendar days from the publication of this notice;

• Yorkshire Water, Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ. Monday – Friday 8:00-17:00; Saturday – Sunday closed.

• Green Hammerton Post Office, York Road, Green Hammerton, York, YO26 8BN Monday – Friday 9:00 – 17:30; Saturday 9:30-12:30; Sunday closed.

• Nether Poppleton Post Office, 10-12 Allerton Dr, Nether Poppleton, York YO26 6HN. Monday – Friday 9:00 – 17:30; Saturday 9:30-12:30; Sunday closed.

• Market Place Post Office, 4 Colliergate, York, YO1 8BP Monday – Friday 9:00 – 17:30; Saturday 9:30-12:30; Sunday closed.

• Environment Agency, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds, LS11 9AT. Monday – Friday 9:30-16:30; Saturday – Sunday closed.

Copies of the proposals are also available to view on our website https://www.yorkshirewater.com/drought-permits

Objections may be made in writing to Defra at:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Water Resources Policy, Seacole 3rd Floor, 2 Marsham Street, London, SQ1P 4DF or

water.resources@defra.gov.uk

Objections should be made immediately and in any event by 5pm on Thursday 6th October 2022.

Objectors may send a copy of their objection to Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ or publicaffairs@yorkshirewater.co.uk.

Dated: 29th September 2022

Signed: Neil Dewis, Director of Water Service Delivery

Perminder Kaur, Head of Legal Services

Yorkshire Water, Western House, Halifax Road, Bradford, BD6 2SZ