Anglian Water partners with East Mercia Rivers Trust to invest over £500,000 into Welland and Witham rivers

The partnership between a water company and river trust aims to boost rivers across the county.

Anglian Water is collaborating with East Mercia Rivers Trust (EMRT) by awarding over £500,000 to EMRT for a range of projects across the Welland and Witham catchments.

Dr Robin Price, director of quality and environment at Anglian Water, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with the East Mercia Rivers Trust on this vital partnership to revitalise our region’s precious rivers.

“We know how important rivers and the wider environment are to our customers and local communities.”

The project aims to accelerate the restoration of Lincolnshire’s internationally rare chalk streams.

Suffering from historical modifications and a range of pressures, Lincolnshire’s chalk streams are in poor health. However, they are critical for the survival of many iconic species such as the water vole.

The funding is also contributing to the landscape recovery plans of the Upper Witham and Limestone Becks, ecologically valuable limestone habitats, which once provided cover for notorious highwaymen.

Across the UK, it is estimated that only 3,000 hectares of this species-rich lowland wetland remain.

With Rutland Water located on the Welland catchment, restoration efforts are focused on improving water quality, enhancing urban riverscapes and reducing the risk of flooding by engaging with landowners to install nature-based and natural flood management measures.

All these activities are bolstered by a programme of engagement centred on the newly formed Rivers Academy.

Hosted by the National Trust at Belton Estate, EMRT has created the first permanent centre for rivers to promote education and engagement amongst people of all ages and backgrounds.

Still in its infancy, the funding will take the initiative to the next level in delivering curriculum and citizen science-based workshops.

Rachel Butler, EMRT’s executive director, said: “We all need to play to our strengths to tackle the nature and climate crises we face.

“EMRT views this award as a start of a long-term collaboration with Anglian Water, but in the immediate term it will allow us to build on our recent delivery successes and increase the ambition to go bigger and bolder with river restoration projects.

“EMRT shares Anglian Water’s commitment to upscaling education and engagement activities, so we are particularly pleased this element received the support it did.

“As the catchment partnership host for the Witham and the Welland, we feel it is critical to build baseline data through citizen science to inform catchment priorities and support the emerging Local Nature Recovery Strategies.”

This is the third project Anglian Water is supporting, after it announced the Get River Positive project in 2022.

This is a partnership with Severn Trent Water and aims to protect and revitalise rivers underpinned by five meaningful pledges.

Since Get River Positive’s launch, £7 million of investment from shareholders has enabled the water company to achieve over £9 million in match funding, investing in 53 projects with 44 primary beneficiaries.