DEFRA and the Environment Agency have taken further action to protect public water in areas suffering with severe drought.
The direction, issued by the Government aims to reduce the risk of water shortages and interruptions to essential supplies.
The Environment Agency may temporarily reduce the amount of water released into the environment, or change restrictions on how much water can be taken from rivers and other sources to help preserve reservoir levels.
This mirrors action taken for Wimbleball reservoir in Exmoor and Ardingly reservoir in West Sussex – both of which have been granted drought permits.
Under section 40 of the Environment Act 1995, any measures taken must be evidence-based and monitored in order to limit environmental damage.
The government says existing environmental protection duties will remain in place.
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