26 June 2009
To date, the Planning and Environment Department have received nearly 2700 registrations for boreholes and wells used to obtain water supplies, as required under the Water Resources (Jersey) Law 2007. It is however understood a number of people have not yet registered their water supply and the department has therefore now extended the application period. Those users of boreholes or wells who have not yet applied are now requested to do so by 10 July 2009.
After the 10 July the department will start a follow-up process to ensure that all people who have private water supplies are able to comply with the law. As part of this process, households that are not supplied by public mains water and that have not registered a water supply will be contacted by the department who will help them through the process.
Registration is required for all boreholes and wells used to obtain water supplies, even if a Jersey Water supply is also used and the borehole or well is used only for garden watering or other such purposes. Business using up to 15 cubic meters (3300 gallons) per day from boreholes or wells also need to register their boreholes and wells.
Registration is free and there is no charge for using water from a registered borehole or well. Registration will also help stop future large boreholes from reducing private water supplies and help to protect them from any nearby pollution.
The Assistant Minister for Planning and the Environment, Deputy Rob Duhamel said, “The registration process will provide vital data to ensure that the Island’s water resources can be correctly managed, especially in periods of drought and times of increased demand. It is everyone’s responsibility to protect our Island’s water resources and accordingly to register their water supply.
I have been encouraged by the extremely good response to date. Though it would appear that most users have complied with the requirement of the law, there are still a number of people who have not registered and I encourage them to do so before 10 July 2009”.
People who have not yet registered their borehole or well are asked to contact the
Water Resources Help Desk tel: 441622 or
http://www.gov.je/water to obtain an application form.
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Notes to the Editor The deadline for registering all existing boreholes and wells used by homes in the Island expired on 30 April 2009.
Between January and April 2009 a public awareness campaign was undertaken to notify islanders of the need to register water supplies.
Registration of boreholes and wells is required under the Water Resources (Jersey) Law 2007. The law is essential legislation for a densely populated Island community with reliance on limited water resources.
This new Law will provide for the;
• protection, management and regulation of the Island’s inland water resources.
• protection of current and future public and private abstraction rights.
• promotion of the conservation of animals and plants that rely on that resource and their habitats.
• the proper allocation of water resources for the benefit of the Island’s community and environment
• ensure that sufficient water will be available for drinking, industry, agriculture and recreation.
• the development of long-term strategies to be implemented to minimise negative impacts of global warming and climate change.
The quantity of water pumped from the Island’s groundwater is presently not known. Without this information the Island’s limited water resources cannot be properly managed. This may potentially cause serious consequences to Island life during periods of drought. The licensing and registration process enables the collection of this data.
Abstractions of more than 15 cubic metres (3300 gallons) in any 24 hour period will generally need to be licensed rather than registered. The deadline for licensing water abstractions was on 31 March 2009. However, applications are still being accepted from people needing to license an abstraction.
For further information, please contact:
Deputy Rob Duhamel (tel: 07700 703821)
Colin Cheney, Hydrogeologist (441602)
gov.je