Abstraction Licenses January 19, 2016 12:00 am DEFRA, The Welsh Government, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales are holding a joint consultation on abstraction licenses. The proposals aim to remove most exemptions from water abstraction licenses and allow for regulators to better manage water at a catchment level. Following the consultation, which closes on the 8th April 2016, changes are expected to be introduced later in the year. Abstractions which are considered low risk will remain exempt (from needing a license), however the following are likely to be most affected; transferring water from one inland system to another all forms of irrigation (spray irrigation is already licensable) use of land drainage systems to maintain field water levels, e.g. managed wetlands geographical exempt areas abstractions covered by Crown The DEFRA consultation can be viewed at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water/water-abstraction-licensing-exemptions . The Welsh Government consultation can be viewed at http://gov.wales/consultations/environmentandcountryside/changes-to-water-abstraction-licensing-exemptions-new-authorisations/?lang=en
