Clean Water Now: Environmental groups launch major new campaign ahead of Water Reform Bill - Wildlife & Countryside Link

New report urges Government to stop pollution at source, fix the broken water system, and restore nature to England’s rivers, lakes and seas in next generation water reforms.
A major coalition of environmental organisations, including The Wildlife Trusts, National Trust, Wildlife & Countryside Link, and nearly 40 others, today (Thursday 26 February 2026) launches Clean Water Now, a new report setting out the urgent reforms needed in the upcoming Water Reform Bill.
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. If Government doesn't act now, this once-in-a-generation opportunity to change the rules could slip away, leaving England’s waters in decline for years.
The launch of the report marks the start of a new public campaign demanding ambitious action from Government, regulators, and industry. As a first step, campaigners are urging the public to email their MPs, calling them to back strong, enforceable measures to deliver clean water.
The report sets out three core demands for the Water Reform Bill:

• Stop the polluters − clamp down on sewage, restrict intensive agriculture and ban toxic chemical pollution.
• Fix the broken system − stop water companies putting profit before people and nature, with a tough new regulator focused on nature and local communities involved.
• Restore nature − creating new natural habitats along rivers and coastlines, building natural resilience to climate change and bringing wildlife to communities around the country.