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Join up water management

Less than a quarter of all water bodies in England are at good ecological status according to the Water Framework Directive.

Our water systems are managed in a very fragmented way right now. Different teams of people look after different aspects of the water environment, and they tend to operate independently of each other.

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

In reality, water forms one continuous system – rivers, beaches, lakes, wildlife, cities, farms and people all overlap with each other. We’re working towards a joined-up policy where the management system better reflects the water system itself.

WHAT DOES LIFE WITH A JOINED-UP WATER POLICY LOOK LIKE?

  • The landscape is managed in an integrated way, from mountaintops to the sea and everything in-between.
  • Teams with responsibility for interdependent systems work together
  • Existing legislation about water management is properly enforced
  • Our beaches are clean, healthy places for people to bathe in, and for wildlife to thrive
  • People better appreciate the value of their natural environmental. They get out more to enjoy it. They use water more efficiently and help influence politicians to do more for our water systems.
  • Water is managed in a coherent way to maximise resilience to flooding and drought
“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success” – Henry Ford