The Environment Agency (EA) has secured the largest ever environmental commitment from water companies to clean up the environment and invest in new infrastructure since privatisation.
The EA, the UK’s environmental regulator, has published its latest report Water industry national environment programme (WINEP). The report sets out over 24,000 actions water companies must take over the next five years to meet their legal requirements for the environment.
Developed in collaboration with Ofwat, Natural England and water companies, these actions will help improve water infrastructure to secure future supply, as well as improving habitats and biodiversity.
According to the EA, these actions represent £22bn of investment in England to benefit the water environment and customers.
For example, water companies have submitted plans to establish trials to remove nitrate, restore nationally important chalk streams and install bespoke biosecurity measures to remove invasive species.
Alan Lovell, chair...