Policy Work

Policy Work - lobbying government to improve legislation and funding for river restoration and restoring wildlife

THE CHALLENGE
Water quality in the Thames river basin has improved markedly over the past 20 years, thanks to considerable investment by the Water Companies, and works by the EA and others. But significant problems remain to be tackled. There is still extensive pollution from diffuse and point sources. Many of the typical habitats and ecosystems of the river and its associated wetlands have been lost, and many of those that remain are degraded. The structure of the river has been vastly altered for navigation, flood control, land drainage, infrastructure, building and other human uses. The fisheries of the river and its associated lakes, streams and other water bodies are often maintained only by artificial means.

The Thames River Basin encompasses the whole range of challenges found in UK water bodies, ranging from the impact of intensive agriculture on chalk-stream tributaries such as the Kennet to the engineered structure of urban rivers such as the Lea, down to the many pressures on the estuary, with intensive water abstraction throughout. The demands of a growing population and the increase in demand for water mean that the resource is on a knife-edge. The Thames basin suffers from periodic floods and droughts; river and wetland wildlife are still under threat and the public have too little access to the river system.

There are huge opportunities to improve the Thames river system to increase the benefits to people and wildlife. The Thames Rivers Restoration Trust is playing a central role in these restoration activities, through participation in initiatives such as the London Rivers Action Plan and the implementation of the Thames River Basin Management Plan under the EU Water Framework Directive.

TRRT is in a unique position on the doorstep of national decision makers in Parliament, government and the City of London. Our activities are very visible to those decision makers and can help persuade them to improve our rivers. We represent the rivers trusts on national bodies including the DEFRA England WFD Stakeholder Group, the England Biodiversity Water and Wetlands Strategy Group and the England Biodiversity Implementation Group (BIG) for Rivers. In this way we help to improve the national systems in areas such as implementing new legislation, reducing pollution, improving fisheries and recreation on rivers, and increasing wildlife.

THE EU WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE
Our policy priority is to influence implementation of new EU legislation – the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The WFD requires the Environment Agency to produce a Management Plan for restoring all rivers to higher quality standards by 2015. This is the best opportunity there has ever been to improve our rivers to provide benefits for people and nature. TRRT is helping to implement the Thames River Basin Management Plan.

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the most significant piece of legislation affecting our rivers, lakes and groundwater in our lifetime. It aims to create "good status" of all surface waters and ground-waters by 2015, though the magnitude of the challenge means that in practice, further six year cycles, to 2021 and 2027 will be required. 'Good status' includes good ecological, chemical and hydro-morphological status. In non technical terms, this means that designated rivers, lakes and other water bodies should have as natural a structure as possible, be low in pollution and rich in wildlife.

England and Wales has been divided into eight River Basin Districts for the purposes of implementing the Directive. Each River Basin District has a River Basin Management Plan containing programmes of measures aimed at achieving good ecological status for rivers, lakes over 50 hectares and estuaries and coastal waters out to 1 mile. We are fortunate that the River Thames and its tributaries form a single River Basin District.

The Environment Agency is designated by DEFRA as the "competent authority" to implement the WFD. However, recognising the scale of the problem and the resources required, the EA has already stated that partnership working will be an essential part of WFD implementation. TRRT is working to be a delivery partner in the implementation of the WFD, through partnership working with the EA and other stakeholders. For more information on the Water Framework Directive see the website of the Environment Agency  Environment Agency/Thames River Basin Plan.

WATER PRICING
Most people do not realise that each day we waste most of the expensively purified drinking water that comes into our homes. We drink only a fraction, with the rest being flushed down the toilet or the plughole. Many of our European neighbours find it incredible that water meters are not standard in our homes. By installing water meters, we can introduce tariff schemes that protect vulnerable customers while penalising waste. Introducing full metering and intelligent tariff schemes to southern England could halve the deficit between supply and demand predicted by 2030.
Over 70% of households in England are charged for water regardless of how much they use. This system cannot deter waste or reward people for using water wisely. We agree with the Blueprint for Water objective that water bills should better reflect the amount of water that households and commercial premises actually use.  

Blueprint for Water

The 'Blueprint for Water' is a campaign of Wildlife and Countryside Link. It is supported by all of the major environmental NGOs. TRRT supports the aims and methods of the Blueprint for Water and will seek to implement the Blueprint approach in the Thames river basin. The efforts of the Blueprint campaign will in turn help to produce the national policy and practice framework in which rivers trust can thrive. For more information see the Blueprint website via this link Blueprint for Water.