The Rivers Trust has announced a ground-breaking strategic partnership with United Utilities to tackle the big challenges facing rivers in North West England.

The approach could be replicated throughout the UK and Ireland, according to the conservation charity.

It is the first time a partnership has set about designing a framework to bring together everyone with an interest in the health of rivers from source to sea and aims to build better competence for more urgent action to tackle challenges that are increasingly important to society, such as pollution, flooding and water abstraction. Another priority is to help deliver adaptations and resilience to combat the extremes of climate change.

Mark Lloyd, chief executive, The Rivers Trust, said: “The challenges facing the water environment affect everyone in society and cannot be solved by any organisation on its own. We all contribute to the problems, but we can all be part of the solutions if we work together to develop a shared understanding, consensus about an action plan and agreement about how to meet the costs.

“We are delighted to have signed this strategic partnership with United Utilities that will be a major step to achieving systemic change in the North West. Hopefully this is the first of many such partnerships in the UK and Ireland.”

Steve Mogford, chief executive, United Utilities, said: “This is one of the most ambitious partnerships United Utilities has ever embarked upon and it provides a blueprint for a new framework of environmental collaboration and investment.

"For too long our rivers have suffered from a fragmented management approach. Our water environment is at a turning point and by working with the Rivers Trust we can help set the agenda to deliver real change for the better.”

Partnership case studies:

River Wyre in Lancashire – Natural Flood Management

In Thornton, near Blackpool, United Utilities has been working with the Wyre Rivers Trust, Wyre Council and McDermott Homes to employ natural flood management techniques that will protect new homes against flooding and improve water quality. Around 3.3 hectares of wetland has been created and 1,000 cubic metres of flood storage which, as well as reducing flood risk, has provided habitat for wildlife and blue green spaces. United Utilities funded the delivery of the scheme, the design of which was also supported by Natural Course.

River Petteril in Cumbria – Reducing pollution and building a resilient rural economy

The River Petteril flows through the Eden Valley in Cumbria, surrounded by dairy farmland and small rural communities. It formed a pilot project which brought together a wide range of stakeholders including farmers, regulators and big businesses. United Utilities delivered enhanced monitoring for the whole catchment to identify the sources of phosphate pollution and collaborated with a steering group to identify the most cost effective interventions.

The utility helped farmers improve their slurry handling facilities, and the partnership was also joined with funding from locally-based food manufacturer Nestle, for whom many of the dairy farms were part of the supply chain. Nature-based solutions were employed at some of the wastewater treatment plants to provide treatment improvements.

The result was a greater improvement in water quality beyond United Utilities’ own assets at a lower cost to customers. Furthermore, the collaboration allowed additional natural capital benefits to be incorporated at a catchment-wide scale, such as enhanced biodiversity, soil conservation and tree planting.

Finally, it helped increase the resilience of a major local business and its supply chain.