Policy papers and consultations

Seeking views on the proposal to designate 27 sites in England as bathing waters.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 26 February 2024

We want your comments on our proposed charges for water discharges (including groundwater activities).

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 29 January 2024

Catchment areas in England designated as sensitive areas for phosphorus or nitrogen under the Water Industry Act 1991. 

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 25 January 2024

• Notice of designation of sensitive catchment areas 2024

  The Secretary of State, in accordance with the power in Section 96C of the…

• Sensitive catchment areas map

Seeking views on updating toilet specifications to stop cistern water from re-entering drinking water in properties and to understand the causes of leaking toilet valves.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 24 January 2024

Information on the mechanisms (policy, legal or financial tools) that underpin the draft summary programme of measures which translate measures into outcomes for the water environment.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 1 January 2024

Seeking views on the government’s proposals to enhance the monitoring of storm overflows and final effluent discharges into watercourses.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 14 September 2023

River stretches and bodies of water in England identified as sensitive areas under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994. 

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 12 May 2023

Defra's plan to clean up our waters and ensure a plentiful supply for the future.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 4 April 2023

How the draft river basin management plans have been updated and a summary of the programmes of measures.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 30 March 2023

We want your views on the draft plans to help shape the management of the water environment. They will help us update the current river basin management plans.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 22 December 2022

How the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales coordinate the work on catchments that are close to or are part of the border between England and Wales.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 22 October 2021

This document summarises what has happened and what has been achieved since the 2015 river basin management plans were published.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 22 October 2021

This document provides an overview of the draft river basin management plans for the river basin districts in England.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 22 October 2021

The Environment Agency's decision not to carry out strategic environmental assessment for the third cycle of river basin management plans.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 30 March 2021

We want your views on the challenges our waters face and the choices we all need to make to help tackle those challenges. Your responses will help shape the way we manage the water environment.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 17 February 2021

We want your views on the extent and level of information to be included as part of the assessment process.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 7 August 2019

Seeking views on plans to remove Allonby South from the list of bathing waters designated under the Bathing Water Regulations (S.I. 2013/1675).

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 3 May 2019

River stretches and bodies of water in England identified as sensitive areas under the urban waste water treatment regulations.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 26 April 2019

We want your feedback on the work programme, timetable and process for working together to review and update the river basin management plans in 2021.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 28 March 2019

Seeking views on proposals to update the current rules on governing the exploitation, bottling and marketing of bottled drinking water.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 26 July 2018