The Environment Agency has issued drought permits that will allow Yorkshire Water to conserve water in 19 reservoirs and secure public drinking water supplies.

Photo: Low water levels at Yorkshire water's Cammonden reservoir 

The water company’s current licences require them to release a certain amount of water from the reservoirs to maintain the health of the river. The permits allow them to reduce the amount released to conserve water in the reservoirs and secure water supplies, while still maintaining necessary environmental protection for the river.

The 19 permits cover the South and the North West group of reservoirs and will last for 6 months.

Serious deficiency in water supplies

Claire Barrow, Environment Agency Yorkshire Drought Manager, said:

“Although the recent rainfall in Yorkshire is welcome, more sustained rain is needed over several months to refill rivers and reservoirs, without which water supplies will continue to decline.

“These permits will allow Yorkshire Water’s reservoir stocks to remain for longer, so protects that level of public supply.

“We only issue a permit if we are content that there are clear plans in place to mitigate any impact on the environment, along with strong evidence from Yorkshire Water of their ongoing commitment to reduce leaks and improve water efficiency.

“We will continue to work closely with Yorkshire Water as it develops the long-term solutions to protect water resources while drought conditions continue across Yorkshire.”

Yorkshire moved to drought status in June

Yorkshire officially moved to drought status on 12 June 2025 following six months of below average rainfall combined with high temperatures, which affected most of the country.

Reservoir levels across Yorkshire are notably low. The exceptional shortage of rainfall this year, and the possibility of a shortage continuing over the winter, led to Yorkshire Water applying for these permits to help alleviate water supply concerns.

To reduce unnecessary use of water and protect customer supplies and the environment, Yorkshire Water’s customers have been subject to a Temporary Use Ban (TUB) since 11 July amid a prolonged spell of warm and dry weather in the UK.

Yorkshire Water will need to inform the Environment Agency in advance of using any of the permits. They will also need to carry out monitoring and mitigation to assess and manage potential environmental impacts.