Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the use of water for hydraulic fracking on the general supply and cost of water.

Shale gas development is still at a very early stage in the UK. The Government is committed to making the most of the opportunity it presents and is supporting the industry’s exploration activity to establish the potential of shale.

Water for hydraulic fracturing may be obtained from the local water supply company or taken from surface or groundwater if permitted by the relevant environment regulator. The environmental regulator checks the potential impact on groundwater of any fracking operations, ahead of any fracking taking place, and will only grant a licence to an operator to abstract water where a sustainable water supply is available. The application will be assessed in the same way as any other application from industry or business.

Water companies must also produce, and then update every 5 years, a long-term plan with contingency reserves in case of a drought. Water companies will assess the amount of water available before providing it to operators.

The water industry and operators have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding to engage early and share plans for water demand and waste management.