Our Environmental Work

 As a regional group, we recognise the importance of safeguarding the natural environment. We rely on the natural environment to source the water we use every day. Our core Water Resources West members (United Utilities, Severn Trent, South Staffs Water, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy) have a proven record of delivering environmental improvements as part of their own water resources management, catchment strategies and business plans. 

Current Environmental Activities within the WTW Area

The case studies below showcase some of the work undertaken by the four water companies in this area.

 United Utilities- Lake District Reservoir Partnership

United Utilities in partnership with the RSPB, has worked together with the Environmental Agency and Natural England over the last ten years to return the land to a more natural state.  This project is one of the largest upland river and floodplain naturalisation projects in the UK. The work at Haweswater is, so far, one of only eight projects across the globe to receive the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) nature based solutions accreditation. This recognises elements such as strategy, governance and stakeholder engagement in a holistic approach to landscape scale nature recovery. The principal aim of the project was to deliver improvements to raw water quality and restore habitats.

Under this project:

  • General landscape and nature restoration work have been translated into award-winning schemes, including the re-meandering of Swindale Beck. The river, which had been artificially straightened around 200 years ago to increase grazing land, has been returned to a more natural, meandering course. The restoration has since provided important habitat improvements for fish, birds and insects, while reducing levels of silt being carried into the reservoir. 

  • Further habitat improvements were enabled through extensive tree planting and the restoration of peat bogs. 29 miles of moorland drainage ditches have been dammed to reduce soil erosion and retain carbon.  Moreover, as part of a farming diversification trial into low impact eco-tourism, wildlife photography hides have been created to offer opportunities for visitors to encounter iconic species such as red squirrels, badgers and pied flycatchers.

  • A new native tree and wildflower nursery has been established at Haweswater, with £250,000 of funding from Defra’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund in addition to £150,000 from United Utilities. Alongside supplying specialist upland trees, shrubs and arctic alpine plants to help the landscape restoration work continue, this has boosted local employment. 

Click here for more information on this project.

Elsewhere in Cumbria another partnership is looking to reintroduce beavers to Ennerdale on the River Ehen. The Wild Ennerdale Partnership, supported by funding from other parties, commissioned an independent expert-led ecology feasibility study. The partnership involves the National Trust, United Utilities, Forestry England and Natural England. The project in Ennerdale is due to be announced as a new National Nature Reserve in summer 2022, which is a fantastic culmination of nearly two decades of partnership working in the valley.

The initial feasibility study was completed in 2020 and reported that the valley would be suitable for a multi-family beaver release. It is hoped that the re-introduction of beavers would provide ecological and hydrological benefits as a result of natural dam building. Benefits include alleviating flooding downstream and encouraging biodiversity in barren upper catchment landscapes. There are currently ongoing public consultations to discuss the proposal, occurring both online and in person. Depending on engagement and licence application outcomes, the estimated timeline for beavers to arrive in the upper valley in Ennerdale is Spring 2023.

 Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water – Brecon Beacons Mega- Catchment

Project aim

The Brecon Beacons Mega-Catchment is a large-scale approach to water security in Wales. Welsh Water is hoping to co-create a common vision at a landscape scale, rather than approaching single issues locally, with benefits felt by all those who live, work and visit the area. The main goal of the project is to help the Brecon Beacons continue to thrive and build resilience for future generation by protecting drinking water supplies. The area currently provides over 400 million litres of water every day and supplies almost half of all drinking water used in Wales. Welsh Water hopes that support for local communities, biodiversity and industry (including agriculture, forestry and tourism) will be achieved through partnerships, idea sharing and the coordination of expertise and resources to deliver environmental, social, cultural and economic benefits for a sustainable Wales.

The project involves valuable partnerships between farmers and community members at a grass roots level. It also includes an active programme of collaborative land management and engagement trials, exploring opportunities for farmers to develop more integrated livestock health planning, biosecurity and quarantine methods that will support livestock health as well as reducing pathogens and medicines entering water courses. There is a focus on the management of water within the wider environment and from shifting reactive treatment of water to proactive measures to reduce or prevent water quality issues before they happen. Restoration work is also planned for areas of damaged peatbog, to reduce water quality risks of sediment and discolouration from eroding peat. In addition, this restoration should prevent further carbon emissions and regulate peak water flow.

Key benefits delivered

This project is an example of a longer-term improvements to the environment which require thorough engagement with stakeholders and multiple avenues of action to deliver multiple benefits on a large scale. Therefore, benefits are expected to arise in the longer-term.

 Severn Trent- Catchment Management Initiatives

Project aim

Severn Trent Water has a number of initiatives to tackle water quality issues and improve biodiversity in priority and non-priority catchments. These are mainly targeted at improving biodiversity and restoring water quality in watercourses affected by pesticides. The initiative has been extended to 44 catchments, covering 432,000ha of agricultural land in the Midlands.

Key benefits delivered

  • To date, over 6000 farmers have engaged in catchment management

  • During the past 5 years, 2500 grants were given to farmers for on-farm improvements that benefit water quality, totalling over £5million in investment.

  • Every year, over 46,000ha of arable land are signed up to the Farm to Tap scheme which targets the reduction of metaldehyde slug management practices. In the last five years, a dramatic decrease (40-90%) of pesticide peak loads were measured entering Severn Trent Water’s water treatment works.

  • Following recent peat restoration measures, there has been a 70% decrease in peat erosion in the Bamford catchment which improved water colour in the area.

  • In the past two years, there has been a 66% reduction in phosphates entering watercourses in Severn Trent Water’s supply area.

  • In the past two years, new biodiverse habitats have been created across Severn Trent Water’s supply area, both inside and outside of our priority water catchments.

  • During the last five years, 975,000 trees have been planted.

Click here for more information about the catchment management initiatives.

Severn Trent Water is continuing its work to manage catchments. The plan is to engage another 3000 farmers leading up to 2025, to further reduce pesticides entering stream and thus, improve water quality. Over the next two years Severn Trent plan to create over 2000 acres of forest across the Midlands as part of the Commonwealth Trees initiative. From autumn 2022, the Farm to Tap initiative which historically sought to award farmers for swapping metaldehyde for less damaging alternatives, will be adapted to target other oilseed rape herbicides in trial catchments.

 South Staffs- PEEBLE Biodiversity Improvement Fund

Project aim

 The PEEBLE biodiversity Improvement Fund has been operated by South Staffs Water since 2016. It supports small-scale projects which aim to improve, restore, or create habitat within the South Staffs supply area. Funding has been allocated to a range of local community focussed projects.

Key benefits delivered

Multiple projects are supported each year, with a total of 16 projects financed since its launch. Supported projects cover a range of improvements including habitat creation and transforming disused land into community gardens.

  • Whittington and Fisherwick Environment Group (WFEG) was awarded £2,000 towards its Wildlife Meadow on a neglected piece of land in Whittington.

    • Twenty volunteers, including local children and two South Staffs Water employees spread compost, planted seeds and laid 80m2 quilt meadow turf.

    • Six fruit trees, four fruit bushes and several hundred bulbs including crocus, daffodil, cyclamen and anemone were planted.

    • There are plans to further increase the biodiversity on the site by installing a pebble pond, bird and bat boxes, insect hotels and further sowing native wildflower seeds.

    • This project used 40 tonnes of compost and 1.5kg of flower seed which was spread over 1000m2

  • The RSPB team at Middleton Lakes were awarded a PEBBLE fund grant to address issues on site and improve the habitat for the wading birds.

    • 3.7 acres of Crassula and 1.5 acres of willow were removed then re-used on the site to maximise habitat improvements.

    • Landscaping work using natural materials was completed to ensure birds’ nests were unaffected by seasonal flooding.

    • Since the project ended in September 2020, the newly created habitat has been utilised by lapwing, as well as wigeon, shelduck, greylag geese and cormorants. The new muddy areas have been used by migrating waders such as dunlin, black-tailed godwit and ruff. 

Click here for more information about the PEEBLE Biodiversity Fund.

Hafren Dyfrdwy - Lake Vyrnwy Peatland Restoration Programme

Hafren Dyfrdwy is tackling climate change by restoring peatland, including blanket bogs.

These habitats are important as they can store vast amounts of water and carbon. Peatland restoration improves water security and decreases the risk of flooding downstream.

Practical restoration work is currently being undertaken in mid-Wales at Lake Vyrnwy. Alongside restoration work, this project also aims to increase local knowledge and understanding of peatland habitats, which in turn will improve their future management.

The project at Lake Vyrnwy aims restore 850Ha of habitat at Allt Forgan and other sites by 2025, with work undertaken by Hafren Dyfrdwy and partner groups, RSPB Wales and Moors for the Future. Improvement will be attained through a range of practical activities including blocking ditches, planting sphagnum moss and removing plantation forestry. The project is predicted to cost up to £2.0m and is being part-funded by Natural Resources Wales grants.

The project is predicted to reduce emissions by 1.2 ktCO 2 e per year. Over a 30-year period this will equate to ~37 ktCO 2 e Peatland Carbon Code benefit. Peatland restoration produces a number of natural and social capital benefits, including improved biodiversity and enhanced community involvement with the habitat. This project and others like it, draw attention to the importance of peatland restoration work.

 Our vision for the future

Water Resources West is committed to deliver a regional plan which has sustainable water resources and environmental improvements at its heart. Our long-term environmental destination plan will help to deliver environmentally friendly water resources solutions within our catchments. Through our environmental destination work, the region will benefit from investment in new and existing projects which will improve many aspects of the water environment in the short, medium and longer-term.

Our environmental destination, will help us deliver our long-term ambition to improve the water environment in our region. We want to see our rivers and lakes thrive and we want to create natural spaces that people can enjoy. Water Resources West is a collaboration between water companies and other abstractors. Therefore our work on environmental destination is looking to go beyond what could be undertaken by water companies in isolation. Water Resources West covers a large and diverse area and our focus is on where we can add most value as a collaborative group.  This means that it is necessary for us to prioritise catchments in order of need, based on the number and nature of pressures present in these catchments and the presence or absence of designated sites within them that could be adversely affected if we do not take action.

Our environmental destination work is underpinned by four strands of work:

  • As standard, we make sure that legal protections which we must abide by to safeguard the water environment are baked into our supply forecasting work.

  • As a short-term priority, we seek to identify low-regret catchment solutions that we can implement quickly to harness benefits.

  • As a medium to longer-term priority, we are planning to conduct investigations to understand any further needs for improvement.

  • For a longer-term view, we are working to understand what could happen to the water environment in the future, if things will go differently than what we hope for now. Investigating different future scenarios helps us plan for worse case scenarios and allow us to adapt our plan, should this be needed.

Findings from our informal consultation on the emerging regional plan indicate strong support for water resources solutions which are tailored to address specific catchment issues or deliver multiple benefits.

We are happy to report that most respondents support our highest level of environmental ambition, which would be delivered through our environmental destination. We are now working in partnership with the non-PWS sector and other stakeholders in our prioritised catchments to identify the best solutions.

In the three English catchments we are working in (the Wyre, Worcestershire Middle Severn and the Idle), we now have the first iteration of a water resource focused catchment plan which prioritises multi-benefits. So far, we have identified a total of 89 options which range from in-stream work to enhanced wetlands to flow augmentation and abstraction reduction. In total, we are now progressing 36 options, 25 of which are in Welsh catchments for further assessment while more option identification work is underway.   

Water companies will also be investing in catchment solutions relating to other activities such as mitigation to ensure no deterioration of the water environment, waste water management, carbon and biodiversity targets. Water companies will be seeking to optimise interventions to maximise multiple benefits while achieving the regulatory outcome the actions support.

For a detailed list of environmental destination options see the Draft Regional Plan.