NEW TAX ON WATER

[Frank-the-Wool]

I have received the email below from the RPA. I am sure others will also have these and while I understand the need to control the amount of water used for irrigation, the need to Tax us for water that falls out of the sky and we control through sluices to make wet fences and for the benefit of wildlife and plants looks to be that the lunatics are running the asylum at the EA.

Michael Gove before he left Defra said that farmers would be paid for "Public Good" and helping to reduce flooding and increase biodiversity was high on the list. It now seems that we will be taxed at least £1500 for every sluice and inlet/outlet pipe. It is unclear whether this is a year or a one off.
I tried to contact the EA using the number in the email and the first people I spoke to did not even know who the RPA were! When I asked for further information it appears that it may not have been written yet.
Bearing in mind that the areas of land we move water around are all SSSI's and this system has been in place for centuries it seems ridiculous in the cost and administration which as far as I can see gives no benefit. If we don't move the water we don't benefit the environment or help to reduce flood risk to villages in the winter.
I am puzzled as to how this jobsworth idea ever got as far as this.

Our ref: EA-CS WL (e)
Dear Sir or Madam
Countryside Stewardship: you may need a licence if you are using water from a watercourse or ground source
From 1 January 2018, new rules came into effect to improve the management of water resources and the protection of the environment.
The following wetland type schemes that were previously exempt from abstraction licensing, are now likely to need a licence:

traditional water meadows wet grassland and other land inundation for conservation purposes water for conservation schemes for flora or fauna managed wetlands warping and flood irrigation wet fencing

In particular, exemptions were removed that previously allowed using water from ground or surface water sources without an abstraction licence. The definition of land drainage has also changed, which will now affect a number of activities that rely on water, including those listed above.
We understand that you have applied for or have received a grant under the Higher Level Stewardship, Entry Level Stewardship or Countryside Stewardship schemes that may rely on the use of water. Therefore, these changes may affect you.
When you need an abstraction licence
An ‘abstraction’ means any water that is removed (taken or partially diverted) from a source of supply (for example a river, stream, ground or other watercourse) either by a pump, structure or other means. This also includes water transfers whether the water is consumed in some way or not.
Water removed from a source of supply and returned (for example downstream) is also an abstraction (for example transfer through a water meadow system).
Abstractions less the 20 cubic metres per day will remain exempt from these changes.
Only the intakes into a wetland system need to be licensed but not further transfers or abstractions that are integral to it and within its boundary. Any engineered methods of moving water from one point to another is still classed as an abstraction, even if there is no pump.
There are 2 types of licences you can apply for depending on the type of activity you do.

You will need a full licence to abstract from a source of water and put water directly on to land. This costs £135 and there is an annual subsistence charge based on the quantities of water you are licensed to abstract. You will need a transfer licence to abstract from a source of water to transfer water to another source of water (for example ditch, drain, or watercourse). This costs £1500, with no annual subsistence charge.

How to apply
Special transitional arrangements are in place that will allow you to secure your rights to the water that you use. These end on 31 December 2019 and will not be available retrospectively.
You will need to submit a valid application by 31 December 2019 to benefit from these arrangements. The licence will usually be based on what you abstracted during a 7 year qualifying period from 2011 to 2017. You can find the application forms on the Environment Agency website..
It may take us up to 3 months to check your application and make sure that it is valid, so we recommend that you submit it by 30 September.
After we have accepted your application as valid, you may continue abstracting as previously without further charge, until your licence is determined. We have between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022 to make a decision on your application.
What happens if you don’t apply
If you don’t apply but you should have a licence, the transitional arrangements will not be available to you later. This means you will not be able to base your licensing application on the quantity of water you have taken during the previous 7 year qualifying period (2011 to 2017). You will then need to stop abstracting from 1 January 2020.
Your only option then would be to apply for a licence under general application rules. In areas with high water demand, this could mean that no water allocation is available to you if a catchment is already fully abstracted.
It is an offence to abstract more than 20m3 of water per day without a licence. If you do, enforcement action (including legal action) may be taken.
If you need help
Please call the Environment Agency on 03708 506506 or email [email protected].
There is a dedicated team of people who can:

answer any specific questions you have help you decide if you need to apply for a licence help you to complete your application.

More information
You can read more information in the guidance ‘Removal of previously exempt water abstraction activities’, which is available on the Environment Agency website.
Yours faithfully
Water Resources Licensing team
Environment Agency

 

[chipchap]

Can we claim now when water flows over our private land when rivers flood? It would only be fair surely?

 

[PSQ]

Is this what was meant by "slashing the red tape of bureaucracy"?

Perhaps we're about to realise who was really stabbing British farmers in the back in Europe....
... and now we're 'free' of European protection, our out of control army of 'civil servants' are ready to twist the knife

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Is this what was meant by "slashing the red tape of bureaucracy"?

Perhaps we're about to realise who was really stabbing British farmers in the back in Europe....
... and now we're 'free' of European protection, our out of control army of 'civil servants' are ready to twist the knife

What is worse about this is that no one seems to understand that water finds its own level and runs downhill. So we actually control it and have done so for hundreds of years. This then makes wet fences which are the lowland equivalent of hedges which we are being encouraged to plant or replant.

The next step will be a tax on hedges!

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

It appears that the EA may have jumped the gun on this. Apparently if you are in an area where you have an IDB that manages the water then they are exempt and so is the water within the IDB catchment.
This should have been made clear before any of this had been sent out.

For most farmers in wetland schemes this will be the case.