ICE submission to the Environmental Audit Committee on water quality in rivers

The ICE welcomes the Environmental Audit Committee’s follow-up evidence session to the impactful 2022 report on water quality in rivers.

The key priorities should be:

• Reform the regulatory system to align it with national priorities such as net zero.
• Take a longer-term approach to investment and planning - the five-year cycle is too short.
• Actively promote the role of nature-based solutions in delivering a better water infrastructure system and take into account wider benefits over the whole life.
• Rebuild trust between the public, water companies, and regulators.

These topics were discussed at the ICE’s Presidential Roundtable in June 2023, which focused on whether the UK needs a water strategy.