Water Resources East, Norfolk County Council, Anglian Water and The Nature Conservancy have joined forces to develop an integrated water management plan for Norfolk.

Water Resources East is a not for profit, independent multi-sector membership organisation, formally recognised by Defra and the Environment Agency as one of five regional water resources planning groups in England.

WRE currently has over 130 members, including Norfolk County Council, Anglian Water and The Nature Conservancy, along with numerous Norfolk-based organisations

Last week saw the launch of the Norfolk Water Strategy Programme with a virtual launch event that was attended by more 130 Norfolk stakeholders representing agriculture, food producers and retailers, local authorities, eNGOs, academia and the water industry.

The event was opened by Cllr Andrew Jamieson, Cabinet Member of Finance at Norfolk County Council and Henry Cator OBE, Independent Chair of Water Resources East.

Launching the plan, Robin Price, Managing Director of WRE said:

“There is significant diversity of water usage across Norfolk, and the county has strong environmental and economic ambitions. This new overarching water management plan, which will take us through to the 2050s and beyond, will ensure that the county is still able to irrigate and produce the crops that the nation depends on, is able to accommodate new homes and businesses and a thriving leisure and tourism sector, but does this in a way which allows the water environment to recover and flourish.”

The programme, supported by a grant from the Norfolk Strategic Fund and funding from other core partners, will see the development of a county-wide sustainable water management plan for Norfolk which aims to secure access to good quality, long-term water resources for all water users while delivering environmental improvement at scale.

It will showcase the county as an international exemplar for collaborative and integrated water management.

The Eastern region, and specifically Norfolk, is experiencing growing pressures on water resources, with residents and businesses already experiencing the effects of a changing climate that are increasing flooding incidents and potential water shortages.

The event comes just weeks after a new Strategic Flooding Alliance Taskforce was convened, chaired by General The Lord Dannatt.

The Norfolk Strategic Flood Alliance has been set up to support and deliver Norfolk County Council’s statutory obligations and ensure that flood risk management is effectively and efficiently coordinated within Norfolk. The Alliance has representation from Local Lead Flood Authorities, District Councils, Internal Drainage Boards, water companies, highways authorities and WRE.

Water Resources East are a member of the Alliance and the Norfolk Water Strategy Programme will seek to find opportunities to link flooding issues with water resource opportunities across the county.

Plan will trial nature-based solutions (NBS) to manage water in Norfolk

The development of the plan and associated governance arrangements, initially funded for two years, will entail working with a variety of organisations to test and implement a number of nature-based solutions (NBS) to manage water in the county.

Examples of NBS could be the creation of wetlands, woodlands and storage reservoirs to capture and slow the flow of flood waters within the environment so as to reduce or prevent flooding to homes and businesses, and use this water to provide additional water supply in summer. This additional storage of water can also boost biodiversity, wildlife connectivity and enable greater access to nature for people.

Plan includes proposition for private and public financing via creation of a ‘Water Fund’

Various types of NBS will be amalgamated into an investable, long-term, proposition for private and public financing through the creation of a governance structure referred to as a ‘Water Fund’.

Water Funds are a well-established model for facilitating collective action to address water security challenges through a mix of nature-based solutions, alongside water demand management and more traditional so-called ‘grey’ infrastructure, such as pipelines and treatment plants.

Norfolk is the first of two European pilot Water Funds initiatives supported by global environmental non-profit The Nature Conservancy (TNC), adding to its global portfolio of more than 40 Water Funds.

Cllr Andrew Jamieson, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for finance, explained:

“The establishment of a Water Fund, a first for the UK, will provide a solid platform to identify and prioritise potential investments in nature-based solutions and other projects and channel funding and financing from multiple sources into these projects to help support the economic recovery and growth in the county post-Covid, while also helping enhance the many varied natural water environments upon which our county is famous for and its tourism and visitor economy critically depend.”

Anglian Water to be significant partner in the creation of sustainable water management plan

Anglian Water will be a significant partner in the creation of a sustainable water management plan for the county. The project comes as the UK water industry joins the United Nation’s Race to Zero campaign. The plan will be significant in demonstrating how cross-sector, integrated water management action can deliver multiple benefits that will help achieve the region’s and country’s net zero targets.

Geoff Darch, Water Resources Manager for Anglian Water said:

“The challenges faced by climate change and a growing population and their impact on future water scarcity is felt nowhere more keenly than the East of England. Collaborative working is the key to ensuring future water resilience across all sectors, allowing us to meet the demands of our customers while balancing the wider needs of the much-loved environment and unique habitats in Norfolk.”

Sophie Trémolet, Europe Water Security Director for The Nature Conservancy, highlighted:

“The county of Norfolk has a very rich heritage in terms of water management and its future prosperity strongly depends on identifying solutions that deliver the greatest benefits for nature and for all actors dependent on water. This calls for defining common objectives and establishing a collective action mechanism to achieve those objectives in the most balanced and sustainable manner possible”.