31/10/10
Water UK promotes adoption of catchment scale work in delivering environmental quality in its response to Defra and offers to work with government and regulators to strengthen the catchment sensitive farming model.
The paper also underlines the industry's work with many organisations interested in the natural environment and the positive benefits this collaboration brings.
Clarity is key however in:
• developing flexible regulation that encourages sustainable and innovative behaviour;
• communicating government priorities for food, farming, water and land management; and
• future burdens placed on the industry and its customers as a result of the water framework directive.
The response also stresses that affordability must be considered at every stage. There must be a demonstrable business benefit in environmental improvements, which, in turn, must be cost-effective for customers. The industry’s role cannot be universal: companies must always bear in mind the commercial benefits of schemes and level of customer bills.
Contact: Sarah Mukherjee
