The Clean Water Sports Alliance (CWSA) has written to the Water Minister Emma Hardy, to urge the government to embed stronger protections for public health and recreational water users into forthcoming water legislation.
The Alliance, which represents national governing bodies for water-based activities across England and Wales, said the new Water Reform Bill cannot be allowed to fall short.
The Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds had promised ‘once-in-a-generation reforms’ with ‘tough oversight’ and ‘real accountability’.
However, the White Paper is light on delivery detail, lacks clarity and leaves major questions unanswered about what will change in practice and when.
The CWSA was pleased to see the paper reference public health throughout, however it was far from clear whether these references related to drinking water, or to the much wider issue of the impact of pollution on water users
In the letter to the Water Minister, the CWSA insists there should be a clear and unambiguous public health objective in future legislation.
This should place a statutory duty on the new water regulator and water companies to protect and improve public health for all water users.
Ben Seal, Head of Access & Environment at Paddle UK said:
The White Paper certainly points us in the right direction, but without the details and a timeline, it is difficult to decide whether it will really deliver the generational change that was promised?
The failings of the past have shown us just how easy it has been for polluters to avoid regulation and disregard the impact pollution has on human health.
That is why we believe it is absolutely critical that this government enshrines in law, explicit, unambiguous legal duties that safeguard everyone who enjoys our rivers, lakes and coastlines for recreation.
This is a chance for the Government to show real strength and really deliver on its many promises for cleaner, safer water.
Mary Tetley, BSAC CEO, added:
BSAC welcomes this paper, however we feel more needs to be done to protect those who spend time recreationally in and on the water. As an organisation we look forward to continuing to collaborate with the CWSA on the important and essential campaign for cleaner and safer water.
We will continue to push for greater transparency on this issue.
The Alliance is also pushing for greater transparency through open monitoring and data.
This includes confirming that monitoring parameters will cover key risks for recreational safety, such as bacteria and viruses, and that compliance data must be published in an accessible format, enabling the public to make informed choices about where and when to participate in water activities.
The CWSA also demands that regulatory consolidation must strengthen existing targets, backed by increased long-term funding and enforcement capacity to hold polluters accountable.
They also advocate for prioritising upgraded wastewater treatment in areas with high recreational use and delivering "pre-pipe solutions" with clear funding mechanisms.
Finally, the Alliance argues for moving away from the narrow "bathing waters" framework to a "recreation waters" approach that reflects the full range of activities, including paddling, swimming, rowing, and fishing, that depend on clean water.
The Water Minister must act now to ensure the Transition Plan and Water Reform Bill lock in these critical changes, safeguarding the health of the public and the future of UK waters.
