Water Abstraction Plan

Given that we are all caring about our rivers what's your thoughts on this?

Water abstraction plan - GOV.UK

Firstly its good that government have at last realised that the current rate of abstraction cannot continue without action being taken to conserve water. I didn't see anything in the link to suggest that more reservoirs were to be built to hold water during wet times or that the EA were going to change their strategy of rushing river water down to the sea as quickly as they can
although its possible I have missed these parts.

Imo its pretty simple, more people = the need for more water= the need to store more water= less coming from rivers but as with anything that politicians are involved with it wont be anywhere near as simple

I can see a lot of the implementations being bypassed if deemed necessary by water companies and crooked politicians, especially as the green belt has a set of rules and regulations that are in the process of being overlooked

Water abstraction is one of, if not, the, biggest problem facing our rivers . . . .

Licenses to abstract water are relatively inepensive and so much so that it actually pays the farmer to take water rather than make alternative options, such as ponds, use of grey water or even in some areas desalination plants.

This line appears to be the get out clause

“We want to end damaging abstraction of water from rivers and groundwater wherever it is cost-effective to do so.”

This is yet more government propaganda. As usual nothing will change: both DEFRA and the EA are governments departments!!!