We want to see healthy rivers, less pollution and thriving wildlife. Importantly, water company customers want to see this too. By 2027, three-quarters of our rivers and streams should be healthy. However, we have work to do: 13% of our freshwater and wetland species are at risk of extinction, only 20% of water bodies in England and Wales are at ‘good ecological status’, and the water industry is responsible for a quarter of all reasons rivers fail to meet the required health standards.

Over the next 18 months, water companies in England and Wales will be drawing up their business plans for 2020 to 2025, as part of the ‘Periodic Review 2019’ (PR19). In the last round of business plans, companies invested £42billion – which is why the business plans introduced in 2020 will play a pivotal role in the stewardship of the environment.

We are working as part of The Blueprint for Water to make sure nature is at the heart of these plans – after all, without a healthy water environment, companies would not have a product to sell.

We have four priorities that we want to see in the plans

• Protect and restore catchments from source to sea.
• Stop pollution from our waters.
• Use water wisely and price water fairly.
• Keep our rivers flowing and wetlands wet.

For more information about each priority, read our Manifesto for the Environment.

Why not ask your water company how they are planning on delivering for nature? Find your water company.

For more information about the campaign, visit for Blueprint for Water website.

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WWF welcomes this investment in rivers through catchment partnerships and calls on UK Government, businesses and communities to continue to champion the Catchment Based Approach [1] to ensure a healthy future for our rivers.

Woking, Surrey – On Thursday 16th March WWF brought together 150 representatives from government agencies, businesses and communities to celebrate five years of the Catchment Based Approach which has delivered improvements to river health and management across England and Wales.

There are over 100 Catchment Partnerships throughout the UK. This is a community-led approach that engages people and groups from across society to take action to improve water quality.

The event highlighted that there is still more to be done and the Catchment Based Approach is critical to achieving healthy rivers now and for future generations to enjoy. Minister Coffey announced £6.3 million of investment to support further action.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:

“The catchment based approach makes a real difference to our precious natural environment by supporting rivers, rebuilding habitats and protecting local wildlife.

“This excellent work, such as planting trees along riversides, tackling sediment erosion and restoring rivers to their natural state, is why we are committing £6.3 million to projects over the next year to help deliver further improvements to our rivers and the landscapes around them.”

Tanya Steele CEO, WWF commented:

“We were delighted to have Dr Thérèse Coffey visit our office today and we are excited by the new £6.3 million investment to help protect our rivers and chalk streams. Globally, fish and wildlife living in rivers and other freshwater environments have declined by 81 per cent between 1970 and 2012. We need urgent action to address this; today’s announcement is welcome support.”

Delegates at the event heard that:

• Only 17% rivers and streams in England are at good ecological status
• The water industry is responsible for 1/4 of all reasons for not achieving good status
• Agriculture is responsible for nearly 1/3 of all reasons for not achieving good status
• The key issues facing rivers are abstraction and pollution from sewers and farms
• There are 108 catchment partnerships across England and Wales and over 1500 organisations involved in the Catchment Based Approach

Delegates are signing up to the WWF WaterLIFE declaration – which defines a shared vision for healthy rivers, fair water use and sustainable supply chains, and sets out three principles – based on partnership, equity and collaboration that are essential to deliver the vision.

ENDS

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The site sits within the University of East Anglia Demonstration Test Catchment area. As part of this project, drones have collected data from the silt traps and produced an impressive 3D model. This data will help sediment accumulation to be calculated. The idea is that more data will be collected in the coming months and years to enable the traps to be better monitored.

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The project is designed to reduce run off from an outdoor pig unit as well as from rotational crops, such as sugar beet and maize. The area is on gradual sloping land with very light, Breckland soils which are prone to movement.

The project also includes installing road humps/cross drains across tracks and diverting the water into silt traps to stop the water running off onto a road. This way of stopping pathways has been very effective. The estate has also put in place large buffer strips and cultivated strips to reduce runoff.

Sill trap installed to collect run off from from outdoor pig unit

Road hump, designed to divert water from entering the watercourse

A swale, designed to collect the diverted flow 

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Whether it’s taking a shower, brushing our teeth or sticking on the kettle – we all depend on a readily available supply of water every day. And by making small changes to our lives, we can make a big difference to the impact we’re having on our water resources.

While you may think of the UK as a fairly wet country, London actually receives less rainfall annually than Sydney or Barcelona. And with increasingly erratic weather, an increase in population and a change in lifestyles, there is more and more pressure being put on our water supply. This makes it more important than ever to be careful with how we use our water.

Water saving and our rivers

Dry weather and drought can be bad news for wildlife, like trout and water vole, as, when combined with abstraction for public supplies, it can mean there is not enough left in the river for wildlife to survive.

Currently, a quarter of England’s rivers are at risk from having low flows or even running dry if we were to experience a period of dry weather, due to over abstraction. Everyone can do their bit by being careful with how we use water. Water Saving Week is a great opportunity to learn more about the issue, and try out some techniques to reduce water use.

Find out more about our work on UK rivers.

It’s time to take action.

Here are a few simple tips you can try to get you started:

• Download a water saving app! Water saving apps for your smart phone can help you choose products and calculate your water use. Just search for ‘water efficiency’. And why not try competing with your friends and family to see who can save the most water?
• Order some free water saving goodies from your water company and save yourself some money. Water companies may provide anything from shower timers to tap swivels to reduce your water use so don’t hesitate to give them a call!
• Take a walk at your local river or wetland! Many people don’t realise that the water that comes out of their taps comes from their local river and only 17% of England’s rivers are currently healthy. Be inspired to save water and see what wildlife you can spot.
• Check out the Waterwise website! Each day is focused on a theme – water in schools, work, home, the community and garden – and it is full of tips and resources to get you started. And don’t forget to follow them on social media @Waterwise and use the hashtag #WaterSavingWeek to find out what’s going on and stay up to date.

There’s lots of resources on the Waterwise website.

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To address this, WaterLIFE has enabled the Trent Rivers Trust to look at the River Soar catchment and identify issues in water quality and flooding that are currently having an adverse effect. A recently appointed Community Engagement Officer has helped carry out this project to improve people’s understanding of water quality and Leicester’s flood risk and to show local people what they could do to manage it.

The project

One of the biggest challenges the River Soar face’s is litter. In the past, the Riverside Rangers and volunteers have worked hard to remove the litter, but this year they are being proactive and hoping that through education, they can stop the litter from even reaching the river where it can cause flooding and affects the health of the wildlife and the environment. This is where Leicester College got involved.

Leicester College drama students studying ‘Drama in Education’ put together a play aimed at primary school children called ‘The Riverbank’, which, along with a series of educational sessions on water quality and flooding, are being delivered to primary school children across Leicester.

Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)

The growth and spread of Leicester and Loughborough mean that large parts of the Soar catchment are now characterised by hard surfaces which increase the speed and volume of water runoff resulting in the rapid rise of river levels when it rains, which can cause flooding. Sustainable Drainage Systems aim to slow runoff by capturing it where it falls and replicating a more natural water cycle. The project aims to introduce SuDS and encourage households, business and community organisations to incorporate SuDS features into their gardens and public spaces. To date, two SuDS schemes have been agreed on in schools and one in a public park in Leicester.

The future

This project will last 4 years and there are a number of SuDS projects in Leicester which will soon be implemented. They are always looking for new ideas and opportunities and hope to launch a public awareness campaign later this year by advertising on buses, hosting a series of high profile events and working with community groups to increase people’s understanding of how they can help improve the water quality in the River Soar.

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CaBA: Working together for a healthy water environment

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We are continuing to tackle this issue, and would  like to hear from groups who have experience of negative ecological impacts from over-abstraction and low flows on our rivers, lakes and associated habitats. If you work or have experience of a catchment or river that is impacted by abstraction or low flows then please get in touch.

If you think you can help, please contact Kathy Hughes ([email protected]) at WWF for more information.

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The full article, published in January 2017, is available to download:

Ends feature: Working the landscape

Credit: Ends Environment Report

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A Call for Tenders has been opened, and initial submissions must be made by 5pm, Wednesday 18th January 2017.

WaterLIFE final evaluation call for tenders

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