Natural England

Water companies must not dilute their efforts to improve the natural environment, Natural England has told water companies.

Speaking to the directors of some of England’s largest water companies, Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, said: “The current review of water pricing is a real chance for the water industry to mainstream the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment.

"Environmental improvements delivered by water companies over recent years are starting to make a difference both for customers and for the natural environment in England. We are encouraged by the extent to which such measures are now reflected in many water companies’ long term plans but there is still more that could be done.

Natural England is offering to work with water companies to help them adopt a ‘catchment based’ approach where possible, tackling a range of water quality and water resource problems at source, rather than relying exclusively on end-of-pipe solutions. This will also help to address the industry’s large carbon footprint by shifting away from its reliance on energy intensive water and sewerage treatment options.

Helen Phillips continued: “This is working successfully in the Trough of Bowland in Lancashire and the Peak District where work is underway to restore 20,000 hectares of land owned by United Utilities which has suffered from overgrazing and drainage of blanket bogs and upland heath. This project* will help achieve targets for species such as hen harriers and breeding waders. Natural England would like to see the scope of these schemes extended to include land outside of water company ownership.

“The necessary control of price rises for today’s customers must not be at the expense of the rights of future generations to clean water and a healthy water environment,” concluded Helen Phillips.

Notes to editors

For further information please contact the Natural England Press Office on 0845 603 9953, out of hours 07970 098005, email press@naturalengland.org.uk.

* SCaMP is a partnership project involving United Utilities, Natural England and the RSPB. It delivers a range of management activities including blocking-up drainage grips, restoring vegetation to bare ground and changing grazing regimes, through management agreements with farm tenants which aim to restore the functioning of the upland ecosystem. The projects main aim is to restore the condition of the land for its wildlife but it is also being used to test the extent to which raw water quality (damaged by inappropriate management in the past) can be improved through these measures. For more information please call the United Utilities press office on 01925 237088.

1. Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, addressed some of the major water companies this week at a special meeting to discuss how Natural England can work with them to protect and improve the natural environment at the same as delivering their services to customers.

2. The 2009 Periodic Review of Water Company Prices (PR09) will address the spending period 2010-2015. For the first time, Ofwat has required each water company to complete a 25 year Strategic Direction Statement, providing a longer term view to water industry planning.

3. Natural England’s role in the PR09 process is to ensure that water companies can deliver their statutory obligations for statutorily designated wildlife sites (such as European sites and SSSIs) and Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP). Natural England also has an objective to promote more sustainable methods for tackling water quality and water resource problems at source through catchment-based approaches that deliver multiple objectives, and to promote climate change mitigation and adaptation.

4. Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings www.naturalengland.org