Water UK, the body that represents all UK water and wastewater service suppliers at national and European level, has welcomed what it sees as a significant step by Defra towards solving what it describes as “the age-old problem of agricultural diffuse water pollution” at source where it is most cost-effective.

Water UK were commenting on the latest publication by Defra of consultations on Diffuse Pollution from Agriculture, the Nitrates Directive, and the revised Code of Good Agricultural Practice. In Water UK’s view while the water and agriculture industries have a good track record of working successfully together in the UK and Europe to improve the quality of the water environment, there are few grounds for collective pride. In a statement, Water UK said

“The fact that it has been necessary for water companies to build pesticide removal plants, nitrate removal plants, cryptosporidium removal plants and UV disinfection plants at a high cost to their customers strongly suggests that it is time for more action from farmers, government and regulators. A blend of carrots and sticks (economic and legal instruments) is essential to ensure that diffuse pollution from agriculture is dramatically reduced.”

Steve Ntifo, Water UK Environment and Science Adviser, said

"For decades the direction of policy has been towards intensive farming, heavily subsidised by the tax payer. Among the results has been over-use of chemicals and water pollution from agriculture. Now in the face of climate change and other pressures a new direction is needed. We support the steps Defra is taking, but more needs to be done to incentivise farmers and the agriculture sector to implement the polluter pays and cost recovery principles as required by the Water Framework Directive.

It is time to end the cross subsidy involved in the clean-up of agricultural pollution by the water sector. Relying on 'end-of-pipe' solutions from water companies is effectively short-term 'pollution-swapping', as we are learning from the emerging impacts of climate change. Do farmers provide vital land management services? Yes? Then this should be properly addressed. But they should no longer be paid to pollute."