South West Water: New Upstream Thinking programme to protect rivers
The multi-award-winning Upstream Thinking partnership is expanding work to improve water quality in the region’s rivers with a new five-year programme.
A partnership of South West Water, the Devon Wildlife Trust, the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the Westcountry Rivers Trust and the Exmoor National Park Authority is building on work begun in 2008 to change land management practices to protect rivers. Supported by the National Farmers Union, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, the programme is part of South West Water’s long term business plan to reduce its environmental footprint and manage the impact of diffuse pollution on customers’ bills. The programme has two main elements: advice and grants for farmers and the restoration of peatland in partnership with landowners. The latest £11.8 million programme focuses on 11 catchments across Devon and Cornwall in 2015-20. The target for the programme is 750 farms and 1,300ha of moorland and other semi-natural land under revised management.
Upstream Thinking advisers will be working on the Exe, the Dart, the Otter and the Yeo in Devon plus groundwater sources in East Devon and the catchment around Fernworthy Reservoir, while in Cornwall they will be focusing on the Cober, the Tamar, the Falmouth reservoirs and Drift reservoir.
Grants are targeted at farms with land connected to rivers above water abstraction points. The aim is to reduce the amount of unwanted substances in river water, which in turn helps to control the cost of chemicals and energy needed to turn raw water into high quality tap water. South West Water Programme Manager, Dr David Smith, said: “We rely on our rivers, reservoirs, aquifers and moorland for our water supply and this vital resource can be significantly affected by the decisions made by landowners in the surrounding area.
“Just one tiny capful of pesticide can still be detected in river water 30kms downstream so we are working with farmers to improve pesticide storage and use, as well as other improvements that will keep things like slurry, nutrients and pollutants out of water courses. To read more go to:
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