The United Utilities Water plc (Ullswater) (Drought) Order 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes such provision as the Secretary of State considers expedient with a view to a threatened serious deficiency of supplies of water in the area of United Utilities Water plc (“the Company”) which is served by Ullswater, by reason of an exceptional shortage of rain. Its operative provisions cease to have effect on 1st April 2004. It authorises the construction of temporary works in the River Eamont within an area marked on a deposited plan. A copy of this plan is available for inspection at the registered office of the Company at Dawson House, Great Sankey, Warrington WA5 3LW and another at the offices of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at Zone 3/H17, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE. It also varies restrictions in the Company’s water abstraction licence governing the minimum specified rates of flow in the River Eamont, which are a precondition of abstraction, so as to reduce those minima. These restrictions operate by reference to the Manchester (Ullswater and Windermere) Water Order 1966. No regulatory impact assessment has been prepared in respect this Order.

The Company are to make special arrangements for the management of the water flow and supplemental monitoring of the River Eamont in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding made between itself and the Environment Agency. Copies of this Memorandum of Understanding are available for inspection by the public during normal office hours at the Environment Agency’s office at Ghyll Mount, Gillan Way, Penrith, Cumbria and the Company’s office at Dawson House, Great Sankey, Warrington.