Wildlife & Countryside Link / Blue Print for Water: Recently, you spoke of “thoughtful reform” of the Water Framework Directive regulations to deliver “even better outcomes”. In light of growing public concern about water pollution, over-abstraction of sensitive rivers and streams, and serious ongoing shortcomings in water quality, any weakening of Water Framework Standards would be a backward step. At the heart of the Directive is the principle that the water environment is a system, and all parts of that system need to be in good working order for it to operate effectively. That principle remains true and the clarity of the “one out all out” rule should not be abandoned. As we approach the 2027 deadline for most WFD targets, our ambition must not be reduced. The Government should promptly publish its long-awaited update of the current status of water bodies and include the investment needed to achieve the target of good status by 2027 in the Spending Review. Nevertheless, we agree with you that the way that WFD measures progress with a simple pass or fail means that continuing improvement is not always acknowledged. The Environment Agency’s “kilometres enhanced” metric attempts to clarify progress, but it is a measure of activity rather than real improvements in the quality of water. Instead, we propose that the Government should add to the WFD framework in three ways:
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