UK Nature and Environment

A coalition of nature groups (including Wildlife and Countryside Link, Rivers Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and Angling Trust) has today released analysis of water company business plans for the next five years, recently given draft approval by Ofwat.

The scorecard recognises much needed commitments and funding increases in many vital areas, but also shows gaps in water protections and spending that need to be filled. Campaigners are calling for much stricter fines for companies for serious pollution incidents over the next 5 years, with all fine funds paid into a Water Restoration Fund, a new ‘green duty’ for Ofwat, and for more prioritisation of sustainable ‘green infrastructure instead of grey infrastructure’.

Ofwat has told water companies that over the next 5 years they can spend £35billion on ‘enhancements’ relating to pollution, water quality, climate change resilience and customer service. [1] This is triple the level of investment in the previous 5 years and includes £10 billion to reduce harm from storm overflows and £545 million on reducing leakage through smart technologies and better data. This is backed up by commitments from almost all companies to achieve zero serious pollution incidents by 2030.