Get River Positive plan

What is Get River Positive?

Water is the most precious resource for life on the planet – and that’s why we work every day to Love Every Drop. Including rivers.

Our rivers are the lifeblood of our communities and keeping them healthy means we’re protecting the environment, allowing wildlife to flourish, and providing important opportunities for recreation and the wellbeing of our customers. We know that we need to do our part to safeguard and enhance water quality in our watercourses, but that we also need to give people the right information and be transparent about our role in keeping rivers clean.

We share the ambitions of our customers, and their expectation that our rivers should be beautiful places, rich in nature, which is why Anglian Water, and Severn Trent, has signed up to five key commitments which form the Get River Positive plan. We are absolutely committed to putting in the work on our end, and bringing the right people together, to get our rivers into shape.

The partnership has committed to:

Ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers
Create more opportunities for everyone to enjoy our region's rivers
Support others to improve and care for rivers
Enhance our rivers and create new habitats so wildlife can thrive
Be open and transparent about our performance and our plans

Below are our Get River Positive commitments - showcasing the tangible ways we’ll be playing our part to prevent harm to UK rivers and ensure they can thrive.

Our Get River Positive commitments are among many important drivers for our work on water resources and wastewater management. Our pledges will be fully reflected in critical plans and programmes, including those for Water Resources Management, Drainage and Wastewater Management, Pollution Incident Reduction, and for the Water Industry National Environment Programme.

Get River Positive commitments

Get River Positive commitment	What we’re doing at Anglian Water
Ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers Based on Environment Agency measures (Reasons for Not Achieving Good Ecological Status), we will aim to ensure our operations will not be the reason for unhealthy rivers by 2030. We will reduce storm spills to an average of 20 per year by 2025.	We will eliminate all serious pollutions from our assets by 2025, and commit to reducing less serious pollutions by at least 45%.
Create more opportunities for everyone to enjoy our region's rivers Within 10 years, 90 per cent of the population in our regional will live within an hour's distance of a bathing quality rivers. We have already identified over 20 potential inland bathing water locations across our region, and we will work with local river groups and communities to prioritise at least two for early implementation. We will continue to promote the use of our existing inland bathing water at our Rutland Water reservoir and will look for opportunities to further increase recreational access to our reservoir sites.	We have already identified more than 20 potential inland bathing water locations across the Anglian Water region, and we will work with local river groups and communities to prioritise at least two for early implementation. We will continue to promote the use of our existing inland bathing water at our Rutland Water reservoir and will look for opportunities to further increase recreational access to our reservoir sites.
Support others to improve and care for rivers We will collectively launch a new deal for farmers to incentivise regenerative farming practices (through partnership working). We will work with farmers and landowners, seeking to form a new strategic partnership with the agricultural sector, working together to tackle river health, including point source and diffuse pollution and abstraction issues across Eastern England. We will campaign for the removal of the automatic right to connect for new developments, i.e., building new homes. We will champion the Bill to ban wet wipes that contain plastic and ask for a ban on all wet wipes that are not ‘Fine to Flush’.  We will continue to invest in landscape-scale initiatives in places such as Norfolk, our flagship chalk stream the Lark in Suffolk, and across the Fens seeking to improve the river environment whilst enabling the agri-food sector to flourish. We will engage with river groups and local Rivers Trusts in our region to identify and seek to cost the actions required to eliminate all RNAGs, working in partnership with farmers and landowners, highways authorities and others. We will launch a fund for river groups and communities to support citizen science to enhance the monitoring of rivers in our region. We will champion the development and promotion of a revised Catchment Declaration, seeking to draw the broadest possible range of partners to the table for action.	We will work with farmers and landowners in the Anglian Water region, seeking to form a new strategic partnership with the NFU and CLA, working together to tackle river health, including point source and diffuse pollution and abstraction issues across Eastern England. We will continue to invest in landscape-scale initiatives in places such as Norfolk, our flagship chalk stream The Lark in Suffolk, and across the Fens seeking to improve the river environment whilst enabling the agri-food sector to flourish. In 2022, we will launch a fund for river groups and communities to support citizen science to enhance the monitoring of rivers in our region. By 2024, we will engage with every river group and local Rivers Trust in our region to identify and seek to cost the actions required to eliminate all RNAGs, working in partnership with farmers and landowners, highways authorities and others. We will champion the development and promotion of a revised Catchment Declaration, seeking to draw the broadest possible range of partners to the table for action.
Enhance our rivers and create new habitats so wildlife can thrive We will work with the EA and river groups and local Rivers Trusts o identify and prioritise the need for river flow improvements, reduce abstraction where necessary and develop new resources where needed, in order to ensure sufficient flows to enable rivers to function in as near a natural state as possible. We will work in partnership with others to ensure the successful re-introduction of iconic fish species and beavers into the landscape of Eastern England. Working with Water Resources East, we will use tools such as Systematic Conservation Planning to support ours and others’ decision-making around investment in natural capital interventions. We will engage with local communities and river groups to understand issues which matter most to them in local catchments and will work with them to develop action plans and investment proposals. We will play our part in reaching the water industry’s commitment to plant 11 million trees by 2030.	We will work in partnership with others to ensure the successful re-introduction of iconic species such as salmon, the burbot and beavers into the landscape of Eastern England. Working with Water Resources East, we will use tools such as Systematic Conservation Planning to support ours and others’ decision-making around investment in natural capital interventions. Throughout 2022, we will engage with local communities and river groups to understand issues which matter most to them in local catchments, and will work with them to develop action plans and investment proposals. We will play our part in reaching the water industry’s commitment to plant 11 million trees by 2030.
Be open and transparent about our performance and our plans Work with NGOs to ensure we provide easily accessible water quality information via our website. We will share our proposals for the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) with river groups and local Rivers Trusts in our region, and will look to develop partnerships and funding opportunities within and also beyond this programme. In 2022 we will convene an expert panel, including key academics and thought-leaders, to oversee our river health strategy, providing scrutiny and challenge of our work, and identifying research opportunities for further improvement.	By April 2023, we will share our proposals for the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) with every river group and local Rivers Trust in the Anglian region, and will look to develop partnerships and funding opportunities within and also beyond this programme. In 2022 we will convene an expert panel, including key academics and thought-leaders, to oversee our river health strategy, providing scrutiny and challenge of our work, and identifying research opportunities for further improvement. We will continue to ensure that executive and senior management remuneration is linked to environmental outcomes.

Get River Positive commitment
Ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers

Based on Environment Agency measures (Reasons for Not Achieving Good Ecological Status), we will aim to ensure our operations will not be the reason for unhealthy rivers by 2030.

We will reduce storm spills to an average of 20 per year by 2025.

What we’re doing at Anglian Water
We will eliminate all serious pollutions from our assets by 2025, and commit to reducing less serious pollutions by at least 45%.

Get River Positive commitment
Create more opportunities for everyone to enjoy our region's rivers

Within 10 years, 90 per cent of the population in our regional will live within an hour's distance of a bathing quality rivers.

We have already identified over 20 potential inland bathing water locations across our region, and we will work with local river groups and communities to prioritise at least two for early implementation.

We will continue to promote the use of our existing inland bathing water at our Rutland Water reservoir and will look for opportunities to further increase recreational access to our reservoir sites.

What we’re doing at Anglian Water
We have already identified more than 20 potential inland bathing water locations across the Anglian Water region, and we will work with local river groups and communities to prioritise at least two for early implementation.

We will continue to promote the use of our existing inland bathing water at our Rutland Water reservoir and will look for opportunities to further increase recreational access to our reservoir sites.

Get River Positive commitment
Support others to improve and care for rivers

We will collectively launch a new deal for farmers to incentivise regenerative farming practices (through partnership working).

We will work with farmers and landowners, seeking to form a new strategic partnership with the agricultural sector, working together to tackle river health, including point source and diffuse pollution and abstraction issues across Eastern England.

We will campaign for the removal of the automatic right to connect for new developments, i.e., building new homes.

We will champion the Bill to ban wet wipes that contain plastic and ask for a ban on all wet wipes that are not ‘Fine to Flush’. 

We will continue to invest in landscape-scale initiatives in places such as Norfolk, our flagship chalk stream the Lark in Suffolk, and across the Fens seeking to improve the river environment whilst enabling the agri-food sector to flourish.

We will engage with river groups and local Rivers Trusts in our region to identify and seek to cost the actions required to eliminate all RNAGs, working in partnership with farmers and landowners, highways authorities and others.

We will launch a fund for river groups and communities to support citizen science to enhance the monitoring of rivers in our region.

We will champion the development and promotion of a revised Catchment Declaration, seeking to draw the broadest possible range of partners to the table for action.

What we’re doing at Anglian Water
We will work with farmers and landowners in the Anglian Water region, seeking to form a new strategic partnership with the NFU and CLA, working together to tackle river health, including point source and diffuse pollution and abstraction issues across Eastern England.

We will continue to invest in landscape-scale initiatives in places such as Norfolk, our flagship chalk stream The Lark in Suffolk, and across the Fens seeking to improve the river environment whilst enabling the agri-food sector to flourish.

In 2022, we will launch a fund for river groups and communities to support citizen science to enhance the monitoring of rivers in our region.

By 2024, we will engage with every river group and local Rivers Trust in our region to identify and seek to cost the actions required to eliminate all RNAGs, working in partnership with farmers and landowners, highways authorities and others.

We will champion the development and promotion of a revised Catchment Declaration, seeking to draw the broadest possible range of partners to the table for action.

Get River Positive commitment
Enhance our rivers and create new habitats so wildlife can thrive

We will work with the EA and river groups and local Rivers Trusts o identify and prioritise the need for river flow improvements, reduce abstraction where necessary and develop new resources where needed, in order to ensure sufficient flows to enable rivers to function in as near a natural state as possible.

We will work in partnership with others to ensure the successful re-introduction of iconic fish species and beavers into the landscape of Eastern England.

Working with Water Resources East, we will use tools such as Systematic Conservation Planning to support ours and others’ decision-making around investment in natural capital interventions.

We will engage with local communities and river groups to understand issues which matter most to them in local catchments and will work with them to develop action plans and investment proposals.

We will play our part in reaching the water industry’s commitment to plant 11 million trees by 2030.

What we’re doing at Anglian Water
We will work in partnership with others to ensure the successful re-introduction of iconic species such as salmon, the burbot and beavers into the landscape of Eastern England.

Working with Water Resources East, we will use tools such as Systematic Conservation Planning to support ours and others’ decision-making around investment in natural capital interventions.

Throughout 2022, we will engage with local communities and river groups to understand issues which matter most to them in local catchments, and will work with them to develop action plans and investment proposals.

We will play our part in reaching the water industry’s commitment to plant 11 million trees by 2030.

Get River Positive commitment
Be open and transparent about our performance and our plans

Work with NGOs to ensure we provide easily accessible water quality information via our website.

We will share our proposals for the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) with river groups and local Rivers Trusts in our region, and will look to develop partnerships and funding opportunities within and also beyond this programme.

In 2022 we will convene an expert panel, including key academics and thought-leaders, to oversee our river health strategy, providing scrutiny and challenge of our work, and identifying research opportunities for further improvement.

What we’re doing at Anglian Water
By April 2023, we will share our proposals for the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) with every river group and local Rivers Trust in the Anglian region, and will look to develop partnerships and funding opportunities within and also beyond this programme.

In 2022 we will convene an expert panel, including key academics and thought-leaders, to oversee our river health strategy, providing scrutiny and challenge of our work, and identifying research opportunities for further improvement.

We will continue to ensure that executive and senior management remuneration is linked to environmental outcomes.

Find out more about how we’re committed to achieving a sustainable future for water in our region.

Taking action on the environment

River water quality is a complex issue, and one that’s not solely in the gift of water companies to rectify. Other significant drivers impact water quality and that's why it's a problem which calls for a joined-up approach.

Because of this, we are actively working and collaborating with different sectors to create effective and workable plans for rivers, as set out in Water UK's 21st Century rivers report. Improving the quality of our rivers is something we will maintain our laser like focus on for the rest of this AMP and beyond, and we will carry on doing it in an open, transparent and collaborative way.

Put simply, it's the right thing to do – our purpose demands it, our customers want it, and our people and shareholders are wholeheartedly committed to it.

Read our Ofwat ‘Taking action on the environment’ pack to find out more.

Taking action on the environment

pdf, 1.74 MB | 29 Apr 2022 DownloadTaking action on the environment

How we're taking action on the environment

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Get River Positive plan

Get River Positive commitments