Clean Water Now: The Rivers Trust joins major water campaign with urgent call to restore nature around rivers

• New report outlines the steps government must take to fix the broken water system, protect nature and people.

• It comes ahead of the Water Reform Bill, a once-in-a-generation moment to further protect the nation’s rivers.

• Campaign comes as Channel 4 factual drama Dirty Business highlights the impact of sewage pollution in our rivers and seas.

• Clean Water Now follows The Rivers Trust’s Making Space for Water campaign, launched last year calling for support for nature corridors.

The Rivers Trust is backing the Clean Water Now campaign which calls on government to fix the broken water system, restore waterways and protect communities.

Clean Water Now – launched by Wildlife & Countryside Link this week - sets out urgent measures needed in the upcoming Water Reform Bill and is supported by more than 40 environmental organisations, including The Rivers Trust.

It follows The River Trust’s Making Space for Water campaign, launched last year to push for funding and support for nature-rich river corridors.

"More action is needed to protect and improve England’s waterways,” said Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of The Rivers Trust, which has been leading calls for a nationwide network of river corridors which would also protect communities from flooding and drought and improve water quality. “Water is the life source of our landscape, economy and society, and we need to start valuing it as such. Far too many of our rivers are polluted with sewage and run-off from agriculture and highways, and many of their natural features have been destroyed.”

Currently, sewage, farming pollution, and chemicals pollute rivers, lakes, and seas, with just 14% of English rivers in good ecological condition. Habitats are shrinking, wildlife is suffering, and people are getting sick.

A new report released today (26 Feb) as part of the Clean Water Now campaign outlines three key asks: restore nature, stop pollution at source, and fix the broken water system.

It argues that years of weak enforcement, regulatory failure, and political delay have allowed pollution from sewage, agriculture, and toxic chemicals to continue while wildlife has declined, and public trust has eroded. It calls for binding national targets, stronger regulators, and regional water authorities with real powers to plan and enforce action at catchment level. 

The report reiterates some of the Making Space for Water campaign asks, including funding for farmers and landowners to create nature-rich river corridors, highlighting globally-rare chalk streams as particularly in need of greater protection.

The Making Space for Water campaign, launched in 2025 with the National Trust, Woodland Trust, and Beaver Trust, collectively known as the Riverscapes partnership has seen more than 10,000 sign a petition calling for the government to support farmers and land managers to create river corridors.

Mark added: “We need to see a higher level of ambition in the Water Reform Bill and recognition of the strategic importance of water across all government departments and campaigns like Clean Water Now and Making Space for Water further highlight this.”

Read the full Clean Water Now report here and take action by contacting your MP to demand Clean Water Now.