Freshwater Habitats Trust response to new government’s water management review announcement
13th September 2024
Freshwater Habitats Trust welcomes the quick response of the new government, announced last week, to the crisis facing our freshwaters. Especially important is the Secretary of State’s promise of a “full review to shape further legislation that will fundamentally transform how our entire water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good”.
We welcome this review, which is a chance to reset the way we protect the water environment.
Freshwater Habitats Trust is calling on the Government to address three key opportunities:
- Small waters, which make up 70% of the water environment, should be fully integrated into water management processes.
- Clean water should be brought back to the landscape – pollution is out of control, and cleaning up our rivers and lakes will take time. We need novel approaches to tackling pollution, including creating new clean water habitats. At relatively low cost, a massive pond creation programme would transform the state of England’s water environment.
- Above all, the review should introduce a freshwater network approach, recognising the whole water environment as an interconnected network of habitats.
- The River Thame at the Waddesdon estate, Buckinghamshire. Photo: Jill Mead.
To reverse the decline in freshwater biodiversity, these elements are equally as important as targeted action on sewage pollution.
On sewage, it is vital that the billions to be spent by water companies on environmental improvements are not wasted. We understand that Ofwat expects the planned investment in sewage works will improve 15,000 kilometres of rivers and streams over the next 6 years. This is less than 10% of the total length of rivers and streams in England. Even within these 15,000 kilometres, it is unclear how much environmental improvement we will actually see.
We urge this government to apply stronger pressure to the water industry, ensuring that money earmarked for environmental improvements is spent effectively. Action on sewage should focus on the highest quality locations and those most at risk from pollution. This more targeted approach will help to ensure real benefits for biodiversity.
Freshwater Habitats Trust CEO Professor Jeremy Biggs said: “This is a vital moment to capture a spirit of change in the way we protect freshwaters. We encourage the Secretary of State to take a good look at the evidence. There is an opportunity here to truly reform water management, and deliver meaningful, cost-effective benefits to our beleaguered freshwaters.”