Archived press release

UK'S BEST WILDLIFE AREAS AT RISK OF DRYING OUT

4 September 1996

A report out today from the official wildlife watchdog English Nature shows how 89 [1] of the nation's best wildlife areas, the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are at risk from excessive water abstraction. Friends of the Earth has responded to the report's findings by calling on water company fat cats and farmers to stop destroying the country's finest habitats by taking too much water from the environment.

166 wetland SSSIs were investigated for damage caused from water abstraction but only four were found to have a negligible risk from water abstraction now or in the future. 41 were deemed at high risk of damage and 48 at medium risk.

Tony Juniper of Friends of the Earth said:

"Water companies are profiting while wildlife suffers - and we're paying for it with our bills. Instead of sending our best wildlife areas down the plughole, the water companies must get serious about water conservation."

The SSSIs at risk include some of the UK's finest wetlands.

Southern
River Arun in West Sussex: Southern Water has applied for a drought order to take more water from the River Arun while not even having hosepipe bans in place across the region.

South West
Woolcombe SSSI, Dorset: a spring water bottling plant is draining this SSSI dry.

Yorkshire
River Hull: Yorkshire Water has recently obtained a drought order to take even more water from this river - despite identifying in its own assessment that it will have a 'severe' impact on water quality.

North West
Southport Dunes SSSI: Being drained for a golf club. Matthew Banks, MP for Southport recently talked the Wildlife Bill out of its committee stage in Parliament. The Bill is intended to give more protection to SSSIs.

Anglian
The Anglian region has the most SSSIs identified as at risk with 48 identified by English Nature.

Severn Trent
Hewell Park Lake SSSI, Hereford and Worcester: At high future risk. Severn Trent Water now leaks a fifth more water than it did in 1992-93.

Wessex
Max Box SSSI, Avon: A large public water supply threatens this site. Wessex Water was ironically voted as one of the top ten companies for environmental responsibility last year.

Red Moss SSSI (near Bolton): Water companies have other impacts than just over-abstraction. Wessex Water owns UK Waste a company that has plans to put a 25-metre mountain of rubbish on top of Red Moss SSSI.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] English Nature. (1996). Impact of water abstraction on wetland SSSIs. English Nature,Peterborough.

[2] English Nature's press office: 01733 340345.

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