Policy paper

Meeting our future water needs: a national framework for water resources

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: 16 March 2020

Applies to England

Documents

Meeting our future water needs: a national framework for water resources – accessible summary

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Meeting our future water needs: a national framework for water resources – summary

PDF, 1.5 MB, 13 pages

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Meeting our future water needs: a national framework for water resources – main report

PDF, 2.65 MB, 91 pages

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Meeting our future water needs: a national framework for water resources – main report (Word format)

MS Word Document, 14.1 MB

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Appendix 1: Explanation of modelling approach and assumptions made

PDF, 1.96 MB, 61 pages

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Appendix 2: Regional planning

PDF, 871 KB, 17 pages

Appendix 3: Barriers to collaboration project summary

PDF, 372 KB, 14 pages

Appendix 4: Longer term environmental water needs

PDF, 801 KB, 24 pages

Appendix 5: Future non-public water supply demand

PDF, 205 KB, 13 pages

Details

These documents set the strategic direction for long term regional water resources planning. The framework is built on a shared vision to:

• leave the environment in a better state than we found it
• improve the nation’s resilience to drought and minimise interruptions to all water users

The national framework marks a step change in water resources planning. The 5 regional water resources groups will produce a set of co-ordinated, cross-sector plans. These plans will:

• address the scale of challenges we face by identifying the options needed in their region to manage demand and increase supply
• realise opportunities from water resources planning by working collaboratively

Defra’s work on Understanding future water demand outside of the water industry has fed into the water resources national framework.

This work looked in detail at the factors changing water demand in sectors outside the water industry. The report explains the approach taken to estimating these needs and the remaining uncertainties.

Published 16 March 2020