South West Water’s role in catchment management

Presentation to the Woodlands and Water event at Exeter, Tuesday 31 March 2009Martin Ross, Environmental Manager

Presentation contents

Why should the water industry be involved?

What’s South West Water doing?

Programme for 2010-2015

Questions and answers

Why look at catchments?

The water industry needs slower cleaner river water

Water Framework Directive means good status water throughout

The water industry regulator, Ofwat, is now permitting ‘off site’ investment, subject to conditions

Challenge 1: major national events

Challenge 2: intermittent local events

Challenge 3 – flood plain events

Challenge 4 – storm events

Developing the PR09 programme

Group 1 – moorland rewetting and carbon capture - £5m to £8m

Group 2 – farmland interventions above key abstractions - £2m

Group 3 – catchment investigations for Drinking Water Protection Areas and PR14 preparation - £1m

Where will the work be done?

1 MIRES - Exmoor

2 MIRES - Dartmoor

3 River Fowey

4 Tamar to Gatherleigh

5 Tamar to Gunnislake

6 Tamar Lake catchment

7a Devon working wetlands - Upper Tamar/Torridge headwaters

7b Devon working wetlands -Odham Moor

7c Devon working wetlands - Rackenford and Knowstone

8a Otter valley project

8b West Penwith project

3

2

7a

5

4

8b

1

8a

7c

7b

6

Funding Exmoor/Dartmoor restoration

Sustainable carbon capture

Matching national and local aims

Nature Map – Biodiversity South West

Making Space for Water – Defra

From Source to Sea – National Trust

Blueprint for Water – Wildlife and Countryside Link with 16 partners

Floods and Water Bill – Defra

Rivers’ and Wildlife Trusts’ agendas

What will this programme cost?

To deliver WFD aims and sustainable water supplies,

The effect of an £8m catchment management programme is:

38 pence added to the average bill in 2014/15

From April 2010, SWW will:

Work with upstream land owners for clean water and biodiversity

Support wetted areas and woodlands

Work with our customers for water conservation

Capture double our carbon emissions

Questions and answers