WIREDGOV

Clean, healthy rivers for people and wildlife to enjoy was the vision laid out by the Environment Agency today. But to achieve the best results for our environment, government, industry, the voluntary sector and the public must work together.
 
As part of its commitment to continuing the rising standards in water quality across England and Wales, the  Environment Agency supported the autumn seminar of the Association of Rivers Restoration Trusts at the London Wetland Centre, Barnes, today (Monday September 7).

This year’s event, themed “Innovative Delivery through Partnership”, was hosted by the Thames Rivers Restoration Trust, Action for the River Kennet and Thames 21. Minister of State for Fisheries and the Environment, Huw Irranca-Davies MP, delivered the keynote speech.

Howard Davidson, Environment Agency Thames Regional Director, said: “Our rivers have had 20 years of improvements and we will continue to work hard to create an environment for people and wildlife to enjoy. However, we need to work with all sectors to achieve the best environment for today and future generations. The on-going support of the Association of Rivers Restoration will be vital."
 
Under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) the UK is required to achieve good ecological status in all surface waters and ground waters by 2027. Currently only 24% of water bodies in Thames region are at good status. The Environment Agency is the competent authority for delivering WFD objectives in England and Wales and recognises that partnership working is the only way these objectives can be reached.
 
Rob Oates, Director of the Thames Rivers Restoration Trust, said: "Partnership working is essential to meet the objectives of the WFD and achieve further improvements to the ecological status of our rivers. “Rivers Trusts work with a wide range of partners in the private and public sector, but the approval and core support of the Environment Agency is essential in all the work we do."
 
The Environment Agency is committed to creating a better environment. River water quality in England and Wales has improved over the past 20 years, leading to the return of fish and other wildlife.
 
The work has already started to continue the improvement in London's rivers. The first action plan to restore the capital’s rivers was launched in January this year. The London Rivers Action Plan aims to restore more than 15km of river by 2015 and to help all organisations such as government agencies, private developers and voluntary groups work together. This landmark plan was produced in partnership by the Greater London Authority, Environment Agency, Natural England and voluntary organisations including the Thames Rivers Restoration Trust, London Wildlife Trust and WWF UK.
 
Mr Davidson continued: “We are delighted to support this seminar and look forward to working in close partnership with these organisations in future.”
 
Links

www.environment-agency.gov.uk

www.associationofriverstrusts.org.uk

www.trrt.org.uk

Ends

Notes to editors

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) establishes a strategic and integrated river basin management approach to the land and water environment. It includes a common approach to setting environmental objectives for all groundwater, surface waters, estuaries and coastal waters within the European Community. The WFD requires Member States to draw up plans for meeting these objectives in each River Basin District, these are geographical areas, approximately regional in scale and based on river catchment areas. It is an opportunity for people and organisations to work together to protect and improve the quality of every aspect of the water environment from groundwaters, rivers and lakes to estuaries and coasts.

A River Basin Management Plan will be produced for each river basin district, every six years, up to 2027. The plans must state the environmental objectives for the river basin district, explain where different objectives to good ecological status have been selected (because of necessary timescales for improvement, availability of improvement techniques or it is disproportionately costly to go further), and summarise the programme of delivery actions.

The overall objective of the European Union’s WFD is consistent water management across Europe in order to: reduce pollution, prevent deterioration and improve the condition of aquatic ecosystems, including wetlands; promote the sustainable use of water; help reduce the effects of floods and droughts.

The WFD sets a target of aiming to achieve at least ‘good ecological status’ in all waters by 2015. For     surface waters, good status has an ecological and a chemical component. It is measured on the scale maximum, good, moderate, poor and bad; and good chemical status as pass or fail. For groundwater, good status has a quantitative and a chemical component, which together provide a single final classification: good or poor status.