Keep our rivers flowing and wetlands wet

We remove billions of litres of water from our environment every day to use in homes, industry and agriculture, and our land is drying out. If we don’t slow down this rate of abstraction, many of England’s and Wales’s most precious rivers and wetlands will continue to suffer.

Amend or revoke those water abstraction licences that damage rivers, lakes and wetlands

1. By 2008, the Environment Agency should introduce a better way of determining how much water is needed to protect freshwater species and habitats.
   
2. In the 2009 price review, Ofwat should approve water companies to end damaging abstractions and meet any resulting loss in supply through increased efficiency and the development of alternatives.
   
3. By 2010, the Environment Agency must amend or revoke abstraction licences that threaten nationally and internationally important wildlife sites.
   
4. By 2015, the Environment Agency must amend or revoke abstraction licences that damage the ecology of all other rivers, still waters and wetlands.