Cleaner water in Cleaner water in our rivers and seas our and seas

Legally binding targets on cutting sewage discharges were introduced on 25th April 2023. These include making water companies cut phosphorus pollution from their sewage treatment sites by 80% before 2038.

100% compulsory monitoring of sewage outlets

Currently 91% are monitored, up from 7% in 2010, shining a spotlight on discharges and allowing progress to be made on sorting it out.

Plan for Water

Launched 4th April – bringing forward £1.6 billion investment in water infrastructure, with £1.1 billion especially to tackle sewage discharges.

Unlimited Penalties for South West Water

Maximum civil liability penalty was increased thousand-fold from £250,000 to £250 million in 2022. £142 million has already been raised from water company fines since 2015.

Water Restoration Fund

Channelling money from fines and penalties back into restoring the environment and cleaning up our rivers.

Dividends of water companies now linked to environmental performance

On 20th March 2023 following MP lobbying, OFWAT announced new license conditions preventing water companies paying out dividends to shareholders if they are not looking after the environment or their customers.

You can cosy up to a pair of nesting barn owls at any time of the day or night as Dorset Wildlife Trust brings its owl cam back online.

Wildlife lovers can watch live video from inside a nest box at Lorton Meadows nature reserve on the trust’s website. Last year, four chicks hatched and, remarkably, all four survived to fledge in the summer.

Everyone is welcome to tune in to witness firsthand intriguing barn owl behaviours, including preening, mating, and eating. The characteristic chittering, screeching, or hissing of these fascinating birds can also be heard live via the webcam stream. With the breeding season now upon us, eggs are expected to be laid soon. Later, the webcam will give an insight into those special first moments of a chick’s life.

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Dan Bartlett said: “It’s already very exciting to be able to view this pair at home in their nest. We are very much hoping that they will successfully breed again this year - the rougher grassland fields at Lorton Meadows provide plentiful supplies of food such as field voles to help