Summary

Description

The Environment Agency is responsible for licensing the abstraction of water in England and Wales. Abstraction licences set out how much water can be abstracted and for what purpose (licensed abstractions). Licence holders may also be required to measure their abstractions and submit how much water has actually been abstracted (actual abstractions). ABSTAT does not to attempt to estimate unlicensed abstractions. Abstraction Statistics (ABSTAT) provides details of licensed abstractions and estimates of actual abstractions on the basis of an agreed set of purpose categories and abstraction source types for each calendar year from 2000. It also supplies total number of licences issued for each purpose category. Tables in general are supplied with regional breakdowns. ABSTAT is updated each November. Abstracted quantities are measured in megalitres per day (ML/day). This data is also available on the Defra website. On request information can be provided for the period from 1995 to 2010. Please read through the summary note 'ABSTAT_summary_v10_external version.pdf' before using ABSTAT (you will need Adobe Acrobat)