We are delivering Phase 2 of our Integrated Water Management project through a programme of smaller projects. This is helping us to deliver individual parts or test individual elements in depth while allowing for a clear overarching picture. Managing the projects as a series has been important due to the high level of overlap between the project outputs, outcomes, and the crossover of stakeholders. Following learning from phase 1, we identified 2 key areas of focus. These were influencing policy and improving how projects on the ground are selected.
Each of our projects sit under one of 3 themes, however project relevance does often overlap into the other themes, such is the nature of the integrated water systems.
There are 4 regional/catchment statutory water planning plans.
These plans are fundamental in determining the future state of our water environment. The decisions that are made within them, and the delivery of interventions, will determine the quality of our rivers and streams over the next few decades.
We looked at existing processes, to see if we could find a more joined up, holistic approach to how we identify interventions. We aimed to show how working together across water disciplines would help identify alternative options by recognising their ‘whole value,’ which will achieve a better outcome for the environment.
The participatory systems mapping element of the case studies shows the complexity of the water system and is a good starting point in understanding why working together across water disciplines is essential.
We, the Environment Agency, worked with Eunomia and Land Use Consultants to look at how local planning policies, across the Oxford and Cambridge geography, impact the water environment and what opportunities they present. Our ambition was to improve how water policy is created and used making sure it is consistent, clear and ambitious. It will do this by making it easier for local authorities to consider water quality, resources, flood risk and the water environment when assessing new development in the Oxford to Cambridge area.
We worked closely with West Oxfordshire District Council, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning, and Milton Keynes City Council to fully understand their local plans and policies and build awareness of the interdependencies between evidence and stakeholders.
We created a Planning and Water Toolkit to support Local Planning Authorities in achieving better outcomes for water through planning. The toolkit includes practical advice, a checklist of items to consider, and various resources.
This project supported the Bedfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy’s priority setting and opportunity identification requirements by mapping intervention opportunities through a water environment focus. This project explores whether data and modelling can be used to compliment and support the existing engagement and participation of the Catchment Partnerships and Environment Agency within an LNRS process.
The outputs from this project were designed to:
Rainwater harvesting has potential to reduce mains water use by providing an alternative source of non-potable water. If used at scale, rainwater harvesting could relieve pressure on public water supply. This scoping study aimed to provide an assessment of the water resource benefits of rainwater harvesting in non-domestic business properties in the Oxford to Cambridge geography which is one of the driest areas in England.
The study showed that for the Oxford to Cambridge region, rainwater harvesting systems would be constrained by the amount of rain rather than the demand for captured water. This means that all rainwater can be actively used to reduce pressure on public water supply.
This project builds on the previous rainwater harvesting work. This time focusing on the potential water quality benefits from retrofitting rainwater harvesting systems where commercial properties are connected to a combined sewage system. This project is an essential addition as it allows multiple benefits to be considered from a single intervention and shows that cooperation and joint planning across water disciplines is essential to meeting individual targets.
The unknown quantity of future water demand outside the domestic setting has been acknowledged as an evidence gap and a growing challenge over recent years. In this project we selected a number of ‘interest sectors’ to focus on to test the process of building a better understanding of forecasting non-domestic water demands.
The sectors covered through the project are: hospitals, life sciences, technology, further education, data centres, and food and drink.