TDEG’s Rivers & Brooks group wants to ensure that environmental standards are maintained and water pollution is reduced. We need to influence national policies and legislation.
This is a big ask of a small local group and our individual members. But there are ways to make our voices heard. Joining forces with other campaigning groups is one way of taking action. If we join together to lobby our political representatives they will be clear how many of us share these concerns.
On this page, we intend to share the `calls to action` from other groups who share our aims to protect and enhance our waterways. These ‘calls to action’ might be signing a national petition or sending a letter to our local MP or relevant government agencies.
Read on to learn more about some of the active campaigns relevant to water issues.
Together we can make a difference.
Independent Water Commission
The Independent Water Commission was launched by the government in response to public pressure following the March for Clean Water in November 2025 (which some of our members attended). The Commission is undertaking a much-needed review of the whole water sector.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed local evidence to the IWC.
UPDATE – The Independent Water Commission published its report in July 2025 with over 80 recommendations. You can read the full report here. There is also a useful overview from the Rivers Trust here.
A New Clean Water Act?
The government responded to the IWC report with a White Paper (A New Vision for Water), published in early 2026. Most national campaign groups welcome many of the steps proposed in this White Paper, but also say it does not go far enough. You can read more about River Action’s views here.
One of the major criticisms of the government’s current proposals is that they leave the system of privatised water companies largely intact. The public are increasingly convinced that water is too important to be managed in this way. River Action have published a recent blog calling on the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to address these issues-. You can read more here.
The government’s White Paper led to a new Clean Water Bill, announced during the King’s Speech in May 2026. The details of this Bill are yet to be seen and will then be considered during the coming Parliamentary session. Essentially, it proposes the following changes:
- Create a new Water Ombudsman to give households and communities more recourse when water companies fall short (abolishing OFWAT);
- Restructure water regulators into one ‘super regulator’ with a wider remit covering both the economic and environmental performance of water companies;
- Provide the mandate for companies to secure longer term, more sustainable finance for investments;
- Make housing development and sewage work better together to provide for new homes.
These are significant and welcome changes. But do they go far enough?
Surfers Against Sewage have already published their response to the Clean Water Bill (read it here). They are asking for the a range of principles to be added to the Bill to strengthen it. But SAS are also very disappointed that the government has said nothing about a fundamental restructuring of the water industry “to stop their unrelenting drive for profit and dividends for shareholders at the expense of everything else. “
The SAS website includes various calls for action,, including a petition calling for change and other proposals.
