Drought permits
The south east of England has experienced exceptionally dry weather during spring and summer 2026.
Alongside the hosepipe ban, we may need to use additional drought measures to help protect public water supplies while continuing to protect the environment.
What is a drought permit?
A drought permit is a temporary permission from the Environment Agency for water companies. It changes or suspends the conditions of our abstraction licences, allowing us to take extra water from the environment.
Drought permits are only used when specific triggers are met, as set out in our Drought Plan. Each permit application needs evidence showing its necessity. Regulators will carefully review this before making a decision.
Protecting the environment remains a priority.
Before applying for a drought permit, we carry out environmental assessments. This helps us understand potential impacts and find ways to tackle them. We collaborate with the Environment Agency during this process to aid their decision-making.
Current drought permit consultations
The following drought permit applications are currently open or in progress.
Application for drought permit at Farmoor
We're applying for a drought permit relating to our Farmoor abstraction, near Oxford.
Weather conditions have been exceptionally dry during 2026. This has resulted in lower river flows and reduced water available for abstraction. Reservoir storage levels are also declining.
The proposed permit would make a temporary change to our abstraction licence. This will help maintain resilient public water supplies while drought conditions continue.
Any permit granted would be temporary and subject to conditions set by regulators.
The application is open for consultation until 23 September 2026.