MANAGING WATER

ABSTRACTION

Local people and organisations are going

to be able to have more of say in how their

water resources are managed under the new

Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy

(CAMS) programme being developed by the

Environment Agency.

Earlier this year the

Environment Agency

conducted a consultation

exercise on their development

of the Catchment Abstraction

Management Strategies

(CAMS) programme and

work is now well under way

to launch the new programme

in Spring 2001. Two of the

main questions asked anytime

a new programme is

developed for launch are 'why

is it being developed?' and

'what will it mean to me?'

The need for CAMS stems

from changes that have

occurred since the present

system for control of water

resources in England and

Wales was introduced in

1965. Since then, demand for

water has increased,

environmental uncertainties

and expectations have grown

and commercial practices

have changed. The existing

system no longer reflects the

best way of managing water

for the future. Therefore, the

UK government decided that

a review of the water

abstraction licensing system

was necessary. Government

decisions regarding the

changes required were

published in March 1999 in

the document 'Taking Water

Responsibly' .

CAMS is a flagship

programme being developed

by the Environment Agency as

a result of the government

decisions. CAMS documents

will be produced at a local

level across England and Wales

enabling local groups and

individuals to become more

involved in planning how water

is managed to meet local

needs. CAMS will also help to

publicise and usher in the

implementation of other

government decisions on issues

such as the time limiting of

abstraction licences. A CAMS

will provide information on:

. the availability of water

within a catchment, both

surface water and

groundwater;

. licensing practice in dealing

with new applications to

abstract;

Ms Sue Essex Minister Welsh Assembly

and Roger Thomas Regional director

Environment Agency at the launch of

CAMS at a WE & AD Morgan drill site

. changes needed to the

abstraction regime in the

catchment to achieve the

sustainable long-term use

of water resources;

. a transparent basis for

planning by abstractors,

the Agency and all other

interested parties; and

. the review of time-limited

licences and plans for renewal.

In summary, CAMS will offer

a new framework for all

parties to work together in an

open and informed way to

achieve a consensus on what

needs to be done to ensure a

responsible, as well as a

sustainable, use of our

precious water resources.

With increasing pressure on

our surface and groundwater

there is an urgent need to

ensure future demands on our

natural resources can be met,

but not at the expense of the

environment.

The Agency consulted on its

proposals for the CAMS

programme and licence time

limiting in April to July 2000.

A summary, of the responses received'

, ,

and the Agency's position on

consultation issues will be issued at the

n'

.

.

end of Janu 2001: The prograffime

implmentation will then be launched

in spring 200 L In the six years that

follow, the Agency will be producing

CAMS frall catchments across

England and Wales and working.

.

,

Co:

/

",'

',.

to implement the strategies developed.

.

/

.",

So what does CAMS mean for you?

. An opportunity to have a say in the

management of water abstraction in

your catchment;

. IIIcreased information concerning "

how the Environment Agency

m.,es licensing dcsiof1s;

. Increased information concerning

, your local water environment;

. Knowledge con<:erning local

strategies for water management,

how they will incorporate

government-proposed changes to

the abstraction licensing system and

how they will be implemented over

the 6 years period leading up to the

next round of CAMS production.

If you would like more information

about the programIp.e or would like

to be put on the mailing list for the

Consultation response or Programme

Launch documents, please contact:

Lewis Pilkington, Environment

Agency, Wrens Court, 15-17Lower

Queen Street, Sutton Coldfield, West

Midlands 872 1RT.

e-mail:

lewis.pilkington@environment-

agency.gov.uk

Or contact our implementation team

on 0121-2412017. Alternatively, visit

our web sites at: www.environment-

agency.gov.uk or www.environment-

agency.waIes.gov.uk