An expert panel convened this week at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool to debate the use of nature-based solutions to clean up Britain’s dirty rivers.
The packed event was organised by charity The Rivers Trust, and included Water Minister Emma Hardy, Alex Mayer MP, Member of Parliament for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard, who sat alongside United Utilities Asset Management Director Jo Harrison and Country Land and Business Association President Victoria Vyvyan.
Minister Hardy said: “The good news is that cleaning up lakes, rivers and seas is the number one priority for DEFRA.”
She added later: “Labour’s mission is economic growth, and we cannot have economic growth if we don’t have enough water. We can’t build 1.5 million homes if we can’t guarantee that they’re going to have access to fresh water, and they are going to have a sewage system that will take that waste away.”
Quoting Steve Reed, Secretary of State for DEFRA, Minister Hardy stated “Without water we have no economy. You can’t do anything as a country. We can’t grow. We can’t fulfil Labour’s missions without clean water.”
All panellists reflected on the importance of a collaborative, joined-up approach to solving the UK’s water challenges, especially in light of the government’s focus on fiscal responsibility. Jo Harrison at United Utilities emphasised how farmers and Rivers Trusts can work with the water industry to innovate and deliver change.
Minister Hardy told the event that the government will put catchment-based management at centre of a full water review. She said:
“We are going to be looking at the whole of the catchment because you can’t solve the problem at the point of which the drain operates and starts to pollute.
“At that point you’ve lost. We need to look further upstream and how can we slow it [the flow of water] in some places and potentially speed it up in other places.” Concluding her remarks, Minister Hardy highlighted how “this is impacting farmers, and this is impacting pollution.”
The Country Land Business Association’s Victoria Vyvyan told the event that farmers are the ones going out and doing the work; they will deliver but need proper financial recognition and guidance to do so.
Rivers Trust CEO Mark Lloyd said:
“There is a story of hope for our rivers – we can deliver more with what we already have. Rivers Trusts and farmers are primed to deliver real change on the ground, and by blending public, water industry, and private finance, we can make this happen.
“Government is playing its part by driving system change through reviews and legislation to enable catchment and nature-based solutions for integrated water management. Working collaboratively and innovatively, we can deliver more for nature, communities and the economy.”
The Minister was also told that DEFRA needs a higher profile across Government. The Water (Special Measures) Bill has put the spotlight on DEFRA, so now the Department must build on this with meaningful legislation based on a full review of water management.
