Chair: Ali Morse, The Wildlife Trusts
Vice Chair: Tessa Wardley, The Rivers Trust, and Emily Smith, Angling Trust
Link: Ellie Ward, Senior Policy Officer
Link’s Blueprint for Water Group works on freshwater policy issues and current work prioritises environmental resilience, sustainable abstraction, water quality and agricultural pollution (through joint work with Link’s Agriculture group).
In November 2024, Blueprint members responded to Ofwat's proposals for remuneration and governance rules under the Water (Special Measures Bill). We welcome the proposals, but argue that environmental issues and outcomes are not yet adequately reflected in the rules. Performance related pay should be dependent on water company delivery of statutory obligations to customers, communities and the environment, and stretching performance. Blueprint members also contributed to the review of the Farming Rules for Water Statutory Guidance, in particular that as currently written, the Guidance contradicts and may even encourage breaches of the Regulation. The Statutory Guidance must be amended.
In October, Blueprint members wrote to Sir Jon Cunliffe to set out priority areas that we hope the Water Commission will consider, in order to deliver the transformational change that our waters so desperately need. Comprehensive, cross-sectoral solutions to restore water systems at catchment scale are required. Therefore, it is essential that the Commission considers the full range of pressures on our freshwaters, including the water industry, agriculture, chemicals, transport, housing and infrastructure development.
In September 2024, we published our Blueprint for Water scorecard for PR24, 'Achieving Environmental Ambitions', assessing the environmental proposals set out in water companies’ business plans against the ambitions we set out in our ‘Environmental Manifesto for the Price Review’. There is significant investment planned through the Price Review, and this is necessary and welcome, but spend is not the same as environmental outcomes. Our analysis explores areas where the industry has demonstrated reasonable ambition, areas where ambition is lacking, and areas where it is hard to judge environmental commitment. We outline several areas for companies and regulators to take action to improve the environmental impact of this investment ahead of Final Determination, and looking towards PR29 - this includes through greater focus on environmental outcomes, and through greater use of nature-based solutions.
In August 2024, Blueprint wrote to the Prime Minister to call for penalties imposed by Ofwat to be ring fenced for environmental improvement. This follows an announcement that Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, and Northumbrian Water will be fined £168 million due to ongoing illegal discharges of sewage. This money should be ring fenced for nature's recovery. Blueprint for Water also shared views on Ofwat's draft determinations for PR24. The uplift in environmental investment in PR24 is welcome, however, Ofwat and the water industry must take further steps to ensure this delivers the maximum possible benefits for nature. Further action needed includes increasing the use of nature-based solutions, and restoring 'phased' biodiversity-critical schemes to AMP8.
In July 2024, Blueprint wrote to the Secretary of State to set out three immediate opportunities for the Government to take meaningful action to address the state of our waters, and to bring us back on track to achieve the 2027 WFD target. These include adopting the recommendations of the OEP following their review of WFD, introducing a strong Green Duty for Ofwat, and commissioning a comprehensive review of the management and regulation of water. Further detail on WFD, and the action needed from Government, can be found in our new position paper here.
In May 2024, Blueprint submitted evidence to the EAC follow-up inquiry into 'Water Quality and Water Infrastructure'. Our submission highlights the need for greater investment and regulatory reform, including the introduction of a 'Green Duty' for regulators including Ofwat. This builds on our April 2024 briefings against proposals to extend the Growth Duty to Ofwat, and on the need to reform regulation for the water environment.
In February 2024, Blueprint members contributed to Link's response to the Public Accounts Committee inquiry exploring resilience to extreme weather, in particular around drought and flooding. This draws on our December 2023 briefing on working with nature to build resilience to both flooding and drought, outlining the action needed to unlock barriers and increase uptake of both nature-based solutions and natural flood management.
In January 2024, Blueprint members provided further views to Ofwat on metrics for environmental improvement, and improving the transparency of the price review, following a roundtable discussion with eNGOs. Blueprint also led on Link's responses to a consultation on the Growth Duty Draft Statutory Guidance, and on Strengthening Economic Regulation. We remain concerned that despite the updated guidance, the Growth Duty weighs the balance too heavily towards financial costs and benefits, at the expense of wider social and environmental costs, benefits and needs
You can read Blueprint for Water's vision report here: 'Actions to Recover England's Waters and Wildlife'. This sets out our vision for the freshwater environment and our ‘how to’ strategy for bringing our freshwaters back to health, before it is too late, with recommendations under three key themes - Recover Biodiversity, Drive Down Pollution, and Re-think Our Relationship With Water.
For further information, contact Ellie Ward, Link’s Senior Policy Officer.
Last updated: 3 December 2024
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