“Water is inextricably linked with many of our cherished National Parks and remains a lifeblood of countless Protected Landscapes. This research highlights that rivers in National Parks are three times more likely to be assessed as in good condition compared to outside our landscapes. This is in no small part down to the work of National Park Authorities, with communities, farmers, landowners and government agencies to improve habitats, restore peat, reduce pollution and tackle invasive species. We know there’s no single action and only concerted effort across our water systems and catchments will lift water quality to the high levels the public rightly expects.
We need to go further and faster in National Parks to meet the target of 30% of land being conserved for nature. Waterways are the cornerstone of our habitats. Yet, as the report illustrates, our efforts are hampered by poor infrastructure, lack of investment and weak regulation. We need government to, as promised, come forward with new legislation to prioritise action in our National Parks and Protected Landscapes, building on the duty on relevant authorities, including water companies, to seek to further National Parks’ statutory purposes.” – Vanessa Rowlands, Chair, National Parks England
“We are dismayed, but not surprised, that rivers in our treasured National Parks are polluted. These waters should be the cleanest in the country, yet they are treated as open sewers by profit-driven water companies and poorly regulated industrial-scale agriculture. The system is broken. Ofwat has failed and must be replaced with a regulator that puts people and nature before dividends. The Environment Agency must be properly resourced to enforce the law. We also need to end the failed experiment of water company privatisation and transition to a model where they are run for public benefit. Alongside this, there must be investment in nature-friendly farming and ambitious river restoration. Our National Parks deserve nothing less – and the public will not tolerate more excuses.” – James Wallace, Chief Executive, River Action
“National Parks and National Landscapes are high value landscapes and we welcome the call to prioritise these special places for action. Designated Landscapes cover 25% of Wales and are home to sources of water for the biggest centres of population and benefit nature, climate and recreation. Underinvestment is sewage treatment is a significant issue in rural areas. Meanwhile, in many cases Designated Landscapes are impacted by activity in the wider river catchments upstream and outside of their boundary. However, it is important to recognise the work that is being done by Designated Landscape teams to engage and work with stakeholders and partners in those wider catchments, often with limited resources and jurisdiction. For example, the majority of the Cleddau River catchment falls outside the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park boundary. The National Park Authority as part of Tirweddau Cymru is working to improve the condition of the Cleddau through a range of actions, including through the Nutrient Management Board and engaging and supporting landowners and land managers as well as through education and awareness raising in schools and local communities.” – Andrew Blake, Chair Tirweddau Cymru
“The ‘Rivers at Risk’ report casts a cloud over the reputation of England’s most important protected wetland, the Broads. How can the home of a quarter of our threatened species, living in and amongst 200km of lakes and rivers, be dirtier than waterways in any of the other National Parks?
The Broads draw millions of visitors for walking, cycling, boating and birdwatching. They pay their dues and, along with the local economy that welcomes them, have every right to expect cleaner rivers. The Bure, with its headwaters in endangered chalk streams, is the Broads’ longest river, and, together with its tributaries, must get the attention it needs.
Duties enshrined in the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023, require national and local government, water companies and regulators to protect the Broads and promote their enjoyment by the public. It’s a disgrace that these obligations are being flaunted and ignored.
The Broads wetlands are recognised globally under the Ramsar Convention, but ‘Rivers at Risk’ shows that the UK falls well short of its legal obligations to use them wisely and maintain their ecological character through effective management and monitoring.” – Dr Mark Collins, Chair of the Broads Society
