March for Clean Water - 3 November 2024

March for Clean Water 2024 

On Sunday 3 November, thousands of people from around the UK will protest about the state of our rivers and seas. 

According to statistics by the Rivers Trust, thousands of hours of sewage was spilled into Hampshire & Isle of Wight rivers in 2022, including local chalk streams such as the Test, Itchen and Meon.  

With a new UK Government now in place, commitments to clean up our water supply and restore our rivers and seas must be prioritised. We have been calling on the UK Government to Save Our Chalk Streams. Last month, over 700 people supported our call to protect chalk streams through planning and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). 

As the Government now processes the responses it has received, and considers its final response, we need to keep the pressure on so that our voice is heard, and our call to save our chalk streams cannot be ignored. 

This is why we will be attending the March for Clean Water in London on the 3rd of November. The March falls around 100 days of the new Labour Government being elected. We were pleased to see a Water: Special Measures Bill brought forward by Ministers recently, but the state of our water remains unacceptable. 

To make your voice heard, join the March for Clean Water with us on the 3rd of November. If you would like to attend with us, email campaigns@hiwwt.org 

About the March 

Our friends at River Action have arranged this peaceful, legal event. Everyone is invited – from bathers, swimmers, paddlers, waders, to anglers, sailors, surfers, rowers and all other water-lovers, and all members of the public. 

During the March, River Action will be asking politicians of all parties to support 3 aims to demand the change needed for clean, healthy and abundant water, for people and for wildlife, once again. 

For more information about the March, access the website here. 

What are politicians being asked to do? 

River Action is asking the UK Government to put an end to the travesty of our polluted rivers, lakes, sea and reservoirs by: 

• Reforming Regulation – conduct an immediate root-and-branch review of Ofwat & the Environment Agency to put a complete stop to any industry knowingly and wantonly polluting our waters for profit and greed. 

• Enforcing the law – the laws and regulations are already in place that can end water pollution. The new Government must uphold and enforce them.   

• Stopping ‘pollution for profit‘ – make sure ALL polluting industries invest here and now for the long term; upgrading infrastructure, reducing water wastage and leaks, helping farmers restore habitats, increasing efficient water use everywhere.