Chalk streams like the Kennet, Lambourn and Pang are particularly suceptable to drought. To be healthry these rivers need sufficient flow to support their ecology. 

Local water supplies come from the same underground water sources (aquifers) that feed our chalk streams, putting water use in homes and businesses in direct conflict with the needs of the river environment.

ARK campaigned tirelessly to get water abstraction from the Kennet reduced, and in 2017 suceeded in reducing abstration from Axford and Ogbourne, but these hard won environmental protections can be temporarily overturned to meet water demand during drought, or permanently eroded by increasing water demand.

Everyone has a duty to treat water as a precious resource. Planners, policy makers and developers have should have a duty to make every new build water efficient. 

ARK continues to draw attention to the serious threat to our precious rivers caused by taking too much water from the environment to supply homes and businesses and we are calling for protection in law for all chalk streams to enable investment in sustainable water supplies

The CEH Water Resrouces Portal is a great resource to explore water resources in your area. 

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