What do the public think?

97% of people in England recognise that rivers, ponds, streams and lakes are a vital part of the countryside

At the beginning of 2009, the Blueprint for Water Coalition undertook a public opinion poll on how people in England value water. The results are in and they show what the Blueprint coalition has known all along: people do really care about good, clean water.

The results

96% of people think that the government should aim to "invest in countryside to protect endangered water and wetland wildlife" by 2015

96% of people agree that "tougher penalties should be introduced for those who damage or pollute rivers, lakes, ponds and streams"

94% of people agree that people often visit a stream, river or lake to relaxor for leisure

89% of people agree that the government should do more to protect English lakes, streams, rivers and ponds

87% of people think the word "beautiful" best describes the rivers, lakes, ponds and streams found in England

52% of people agree that English rivers and streams are too polluted to swim in

For more details on the poll, view our press release:
Would you swim in your local river?

For a full summary of findings download the results table