About the Whitepaper

What is the Water Whitepaper?

The Government has announced that it intends to publish a White Paper related to the water industry in winter 2011. White Papers are issued by the government and lay out policy, or proposed action, on a specific concern. The Water White Paper will set out the government’s policies and signify any intention to pass new laws and, according to Defra, it will focus on:

• Securing sustainable water supplies;
• Increasing choice and delivering better value to customers;
• Modernising the current regulatory system;
• Ensuring fair and affordable water charges;
• Incentivising water conservation, and
• Ensuring an effective approach to wastewater management that contributes to improved water quality and reduced flood risk

However, this will not protect our river wildlife.

It’s vital that the White Paper includes a clear commitment to reduce unsustainable levels of abstraction from rivers – particularly for public supply – and to set out plans to reduce diffuse pollution. This can be achieved by tightening enforcement of environmental regulation, reforming agricultural subsidies so that the money land managers receive is targeted at those who do the most to protect water and wildlife, and by encouraging water companies to tackle diffuse pollution at source rather than through complex, expensive and energy-intensive treatment works.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WHITE PAPER VISIT THE DEFRA WEBSITE