Defra has published its Water abstraction plan 2017. This sets out how the government will reform the way it manages water abstraction, to protect the environment and improve access to water. It has been updated to include the first four Initial Priority Catchments: Idle & Torne in East Midlands, The South Forty Foot in Lincolnshire […]
A major new satellite-based study by NASA warns that water shortages will be the key environmental challenge of the century. It finds that freshwater supplies have already seriously declined in 19 global hotspots – from China to the Caspian Sea – due to overuse. Areas in northern and eastern India, the Middle East, California and […]
Reported in Water Briefing Water industry regulator Ofwat is calling for regional water resource groups to take a much stronger role in regional planning for water resources. John Russell, Senior Director, Strategy and Planning at Ofwat, was commenting on the appointment by the Water Resources South East group (WRSE) of Simon Cocks, who formally stepped […]
Last week saw a number of new announcements from Defra. These included: UK and Welsh governments sign water powers agreement. UK Government introduces measure to safeguard water supply for England & Wales; Protocol to safeguard water resources, water supply and water quality for consumers in England and Wales. This “will safeguard water resources, water supply […]
The government is seeking views on the development of a national policy statement for water resources and the types of infrastructure that it will apply to. The government wants to know what you think about its approach to developing a national policy statement for water resources. The statement will simplify the process of gaining planning […]
Unlike the immediacy of flooding events droughts by their very nature creep up slowly, and then once people realise, they are upon us. Three articles which provide food for thought. Water Briefing: Drought on the horizon for the UK? The widespread publication of reports in the national press and media flagging up the prospect of drought […]
TWO Articles 1.Cross Party MPs headed by Richard Benyon call for a complete overhaul of the outdated water abstraction regime With the general election now likely to take place as drought conditions threaten parts of the South East of England, a cross party group of MPs headed by former Environment Minister Richard Benyon, and backed […]
Groundwater updates – This site provides a full list of the updates https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/groundwater-protection These include: Protect groundwater and prevent groundwater pollution Groundwater protection technical guidance Groundwater protection position statements Land contamination groundwater compliance points: quantitative risk assessments & fourteen more