Last week, we reported on the extension to the River Basin Management Plans Challenges and Choices consultation.

This week, the Blueprint for Water coalition responds.

Wildlife Link: ‘Every day we rely on water to survive; to clean, spray, drink and wash. The way we treat water today will shape all of our futures and it is hugely important we have the policies and regulations in place to enhance resilience and ensure the water environment is protected for the benefit of wildlife and people.

Blueprint for Water welcomes the Environment Agency’s Challenges & Choices consultation, spanning a number of topics including invasive species, chemicals and plastics. To improve the way we treat water will require far better integration of water-related objectives into other policy areas such as agriculture, energy and land use planning. We must increasingly consider river systems as just that; systems, recognising the relationship of rivers with other parts of the freshwater environment, and the interrelationships between the multiple stresses that affect it.

Our detailed response follows on from our higher-level response in December. A huge thank you goes out to all members involved, resulting in us managing to create a collaborative and well thought out response, evident by the 23 signatories. The consultation deadline has now been extended to September. We encourage everyone to submit their feedback.’