Government publishes Water White Paper – major regulatory reform, but limited ambition for nature recovery

The Government has published its long-awaited Water White Paper, setting out what it describes as the biggest overhaul of the water system in a generation. The White Paper focuses heavily on regulatory reform, infrastructure resilience and customer protection, but offers limited new direction or ambition on nature recovery, despite the scale of ecological decline in England’s freshwater environments.

Key proposals include the creation of a new single water regulator, replacing Ofwat and combining water-related functions currently held by the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate. For the first time in over 20 years, a Chief Engineer will sit within the regulator, alongside new powers for “no notice” inspections, infrastructure health checks and a strengthened performance improvement regime for under-performing water companies.

The White Paper adopts a strongly prevention-first narrative, with commitments to proactive maintenance of water infrastructure, tougher oversight of water company performance, and a new Water Ombudsman with legally binding powers to resolve customer complaints. Government also confirmed significant investment in wastewater treatment upgrades, storm overflow improvements and smart metering to reduce demand.

The plans reference the need to “enable preventative interventions and nature-based solutions where appropriate, to reduce long-term costs and improve resilience”, and highlight existing delivery mechanisms such as River Basin Management Planning, regional water resource groups, catchment partnerships and Regional Flood and Coastal Committees. Funding for local catchment partnerships is expected to double.

However, the White Paper largely relies on existing planning frameworks and does not set out a clear, strategic vision for nature recovery at catchment or national scale, nor how freshwater restoration will meaningfully contribute to meeting biodiversity and nature recovery targets. There is little new detail on tackling wider pollution pressures beyond the water industry, including from agriculture, roads and chemicals, and limited reference to emerging concerns such as PFAS.

Analysis by sector commentators has also highlighted that a number of recommendations from the Independent Water Commission have not been fully addressed, including the absence of a clear commitment to a national water strategy.

CIEEM welcomes the emphasis on prevention, joined-up planning and catchment-based working, all of which align with ecological recovery. However, without stronger, explicit commitments to freshwater nature recovery, there is a risk that environmental outcomes remain secondary to infrastructure and regulatory reform, rather than being embedded as a core objective of the new water system.

As Government develops its 2026 Transition Plan and forthcoming water reform legislation, CIEEM will continue work with partners to press for a clearer, more ambitious role for ecological expertise, nature-based solutions and biodiversity recovery at the heart of water policy and regulation.