Farm reservoirs can tackle droughts
The government must make it easier for farmers to build reservoirs on farms to increase water security and mitigate the impact of drought, says the NFU.
Ministers are working on a Water Bill, due to be unveiled later this year, which they say will stimulate investment and innovation in the water industry.
But the NFU said the government must recognise the importance of agriculture and introduce policies in the development of the Bill that would offer a more sustainable water supply for its 55,000 farm business members.
NFU water policy adviser Paul Hammett said the main lesson learnt from the 2010-12 drought was the need for more storage to capture water when it is plentiful and make use of it when it is scarce.
Therefore, he urged the government to embark on a strategic programme of reservoir building to prepare for future droughts.
“The NFU hopes to see provisions in the Bill that may make it easier for farmers to build reservoirs – increased water security on farms should help improve our food security,” he explained.
Stored water on farms could also make it possible for farmers to become suppliers of water to other users, Mr Hammett said.
However, any measures contained in the Bill would need to be accompanied by separate fiscal incentives through capital allowances and grant funding to provide the incentives farmers need to invest in capital projects to build reservoirs.
Measures that reduce the bureaucracy surrounding water storage and management would also be welcomed, he added.
The NFU understands that there will also be a major overhaul of the way that water is managed through the abstraction licensing system in response to climate change and population growth.
“A new licensing system to improve the way we manage water is only one side of the coin – to make it work we will all increasingly rely on more secure supplies of water that only reservoirs can offer,” said Mr Hammett.
“Only time will tell if there is enough substance in the Water Bill to deliver increased water storage capacity.”
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said the introduction of environmental permits for abstraction might reduce the level of regulation, but should also be treated with caution.
CLA president Harry Cotterell warned: “Permits in the waste industry led to higher costs and more regulation for small businesses.”
Plans to reform the water industry in the forthcoming Water Bill were among the topics announced in the Queen’s Speech last week.