A drought permit has been granted to South East Water by the Environment Agency to help secure public water supply from Ardingly Reservoir, located near Haywards Heath in West Sussex.
As of 28 September, the reservoir, which serves 280,000 customers, was at 23% of its total storage capacity. This marks the lowest level on record for Ardingly Reservoir at this time of year.
The permit will impact the River Ouse by reducing the amount of water in the river at Barcombe Mills and decreasing the water released from the reservoir to compensate the River Ouse’s Shell Brook tributary. The daily release to Shell Brook will be cut from four million litres to one million litres.
Despite the permit, the Environment Agency has warned that it will not be sufficient to improve water supply security. They have advised South East Water to pursue additional measures outlined in its drought plan, which could include removing exemptions from its current temporary use ban or applying for a non-essential use ban.
Richard O’Callaghan, Environment Planning Manager of the Environment Agency, stated that granting a drought permit is a serious decision, with careful consideration given to environmental needs. The agency will monitor river conditions and ensure South East Water adheres to the permit's conditions.
The recovery of water resources will depend on the coming winter, with at least average rainfall needed to refill Ardingly Reservoir and move Sussex out of drought by spring. The Met Office forecasts average rainfall and temperatures for October.