Background

Environmental problems affecting the River Basin District are complex and interlinked.  Investment frequently does not deliver as much as it could, as problems are approached in siloes and a joined up approach is not generally taken. Historically people have focused on fixing a small part of a problem and addressing a specific need without thinking about the problem as a whole. Through Natural Course, the mobilising water industry investment action aims to take a holistic view of investment and work collaboratively to enable and deliver the greatest benefits.

What we are doing

This project enables United Utilities to support its integrated catchment team to develop catchment investment, and further liaise with partners to deliver catchment interventions on the ground. As part of this project, staff from the Rivers Trust and Environment Agency are assigned to the United Utilities team on a part-time basis. Working together in an integrated and collaborative manner brings direct benefits to the integrated catchment team, as well as building greater general understanding between the organisations. This approach builds on previous activities in Phase 2 which included a secondment from Natural England.

Who else is involved?

United Utilities, Rivers Trust and the Environment Agency

Project location

Covers the whole of the North West River Basin District

Latest Update

Representatives from the Rivers Trust and Environment Agency have been appointed to United Utilities Integrated Catchment Team.  They have been working on phosphate offsetting, Farmscoper development, catchment intervention asset standards, and the Eden/Petteril project.

Delivery of the integrated catchment investment projects (as identified on the WINEP) and actions are being delivered in line with the AMP cycle.

Three new integrated catchment opportunities have been developed and are being put forward as part of the Green Recovery submission