Policy paper

National Framework for Water Resources 2025: water for growth, nature and a resilient future

Explores England’s long term water needs, setting out the scale of action needed to ensure resilient supplies and an improved water environment.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
17 June 2025
Last updated
25 July 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Graphical summary: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

PDF, 3.36 MB, 32 pages

Forewords, executive summary and structure: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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1. Introduction: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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2. Current and future pressures on water resources, an overview: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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3. How much additional water we need: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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4. Water availability: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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5. Taking action: water for the environment: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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6. Taking action on public water supplies: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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7. Taking action on water for energy: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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8. Taking action on water for food: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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9. Taking action on other significant water-using sectors and emerging demands: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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10. Water resources planning and abstraction licensing: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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11. Expectations of Regional Water Resources Groups: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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12. Further evolution of water resources planning: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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13. Next steps: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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Appendix A: regional water resources planning expectations: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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Appendix B: results of public water supply water resources modelling: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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Appendix C: Environmental Destination technical report

PDF, 1.04 MB, 40 pages

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Appendix D: Environmental Destination principles for protecting the water environment in water resources planning

PDF, 499 KB, 17 pages

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Details

The National Framework for Water Resources 2025 builds on the foundation provided by:

Updates to this page

Published 17 June 2025
Last updated 25 July 2025 show all updates

  1. Added 'Appendix D: Environmental Destination principles for protecting the water environment in water resources planning'.

  2. Updated the summary PDF and section 3 'How much additional water we need' to correct a figure: In 'Understanding England’s future water needs by 2055, the estimated total demand from other users for West Country Water and Environment (WCWE) should have been 217 Ml/d.

  3. Updated figure 1 (in '2. Current and future pressures on water resources') and figure 7 (in '3. How much additional water we need'). Updated the name of appendix B.

  4. First published.

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