13 Feb 2025

The Government has committed £2.65 billion to better protect 66,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion by March 2026. The record two-year investment of £2.65 billion will see 52,000 properties benefit from new defences, with a further 14,500 properties benefiting from repairs and maintenance of existing defences.   Photo credit: Zac Firth   A full […]

13 Feb 2025

As the government this week opted to omit the Water Restoration Fund (WRF) from the Water (Special Measures) Bill currently progressing through Parliament, the Rivers Trust wrote to Water Minister Emma Hardy, calling on her to ensure money currently sitting unused in the Water Restoration Fund is paid out to start the task of reversing […]

13 Feb 2025

New research published in New Scientist says that severe droughts that persist for years have grown hotter, drier and larger since the 1980s. These long-lasting droughts – some of which are extreme enough to be classified as “megadroughts” – can be especially devastating to agriculture and ecosystems.   Photo credit: Yusuf Gündüz   Rising temperatures […]

13 Feb 2025

Five years after Brexit, this Green Alliance podcast reflects on its impact on environmental protection. This episode explores the fate of environmental laws inherited from the EU and the new systems put in place to watch over them.   Photo credit: MC G’Zay   Ruth Chambers, Green Alliance senior fellow, is joined by Professor Maria […]

13 Feb 2025

Ofwat is consulting on its Work Programme For 2025-26.     It includes three strategic priorities for 2025-26 that the regulator says will “ensure we play our part in transforming the sector”. Delivering for customers and the environment Enabling growth and addressing long-term challenges Holding water companies to account The consultation runs until 28 February.

13 Feb 2025

The European Commission is publishing its latest reports on the state of water in the European Union. Covering the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Floods Directive, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the reports highlight the progress made to improve the state of EU water bodies over the past six years. They also identify key areas […]

13 Feb 2025

Ofwat has announced details of the £400m Innovation Fund to spur water sector transformation in next five years.   Photo credit: Cottonbro Studio   There will be £400 million available to share between one main Water Breakthrough Challenge per year, and at least two Water Discovery Challenges across the five-year period. There will also be […]

06 Feb 2025

The Environment has published new national risk information for flooding and coastal erosion. This includes future scenarios accounting for climate change.   Photo credit: Ray Bilcliff   It includes new National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA) ‘Risk of flooding from rivers and sea’ and ‘Risk of flooding from surface water’ data, as well as new National Coastal […]