Water bosses want to take millions more litres from two Sussex rivers to help restock dangerously low reservoirs.

South-East Water applied to the Environment Agency today for drought permits to increase the amount it is able to extract from the Ouse and Cuckmere rivers.

The water would be used to refill the Ardingly and Arlington reservoirs, which are both far below normal November levels.

Conservation groups warned flows in both rivers were already low and parts of the Ouse could dry out if more water was taken.

South-East Water wants the Ouse's permitted minimum flow cut to 9.5 million litres a day, down from 18.2 million. On the Cuckmere, the company wants the minimum flow cut to 4.5 million litres a day, down from 9.1 million.

A spokesman stressed the company would only extract more water at certain times and said a full environmental impact assessment had been carried out.

The existing minimum permitted flows are the lowest the Environment Agency believes is required to protect fish and other wildlife in the two East Sussex rivers. Sussex area manager Peter Midgley said: "We understand the problem and we have begun to look at what damage there could be."

The Sussex Wildlife Trust said increased abstraction could affect sea trout and brown trout, which are about to begin their migration to spawning grounds in the upper parts of the Ouse.

John St Pierre, of the Sussex River Ouse Conservation Society, said: "People should be made aware that water is a very precious resource and should not be wasted."

The Environment Agency will consult on the application for drought permits, which would last for six months, until November 12.

Wednesday November 05, 2003