We think the chalk stream recovery pack would increase investment, regulation and transparency; improving the state of all rivers. We feel Chalk streams’ rarity, cultural and ecological importance should make them a priority for conservation, sustainable water management and restoration initiatives.
You may be interested in these active petitions
Chalk streams are among the rarest freshwater habitats globally, with over 85% located in England, primarily in the south. These streams provide crystal-clear, mineral-rich water that maintains a stable temperature year-round, supporting a diverse range of flora and fauna (brown trout, water voles, kingfishers, and crowfoot).
However, they face significant threats from pollution and over-abstraction of water. We believe they should be protected for future generations.
Monday 15th September 2025
The government has secured £2 billion from water companies over the next five years to deliver more than 1,000 targeted actions for chalk stream restoration as part of our Plan for Change.
Chalk streams are a source of national pride. As one of Britain’s most nature rich habitats, they support some of our rarest wildlife – from chalk salmon to trout, they are home to beloved and endangered species.
This Government will restore our chalk streams to better ecological health, fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams.
Chalk streams are embedded in our plan to reform the water industry. The Government has announced an ambitious programme of reforms to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good. Subject to consultation, we will abolish Ofwat and create a new, powerful, and integrated regulator, including a regional element to ensure greater local involvement in water planning and allow all sources of pollution to be addressed across the river catchment. Our focus is now on delivering this revolution across the entire water sector, ensuring chalk streams, alongside all our rivers, lakes, and seas, benefit from this era of reform. As such, the Chalk Stream Recovery Pack— which was announced by the previous government— falls short of these wider ambitions and is no longer being taken forward.
We are already taking action to hold water companies to account through the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025. The Government has launched the largest crackdown on water companies in history. The era of profiting from pollution is over. Unfair bonuses have now been banned for six polluting water companies. In the largest criminal action against water companies in history, a record 81 criminal investigations have been launched into sewage pollution. Polluting water bosses who cover up their crimes now face two-year prison sentences.
Alongside our programme of ambitious reforms, we are taking immediate action to clean up chalk streams:
• Water companies will invest £2 billion over the next 5 years to deliver more than 1,000 targeted actions for chalk stream restoration as part of our Plan for Change.
• Furthermore, the government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund and Water Environment Improvement Fund for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects across affected regions. And over £100m in fines and penalties levied against water companies will be reinvested into projects to clean up our waters which could include local programmes to address pollution in chalk streams.
• Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, funding for which will increase by 150% to £2bn by 2028/2029, are providing incentives for farmers and land managers to farm more sustainably – six of our Landscape Recovery projects are being developed in chalk stream catchments, with potential to benefit up to 350km of chalk stream habitat
• We're tackling one of the biggest impacts on chalk streams by reducing the risk of harmful abstraction by an estimated 126 million litres daily by 2030, through the amendment of water company abstraction licences, protecting vital water flows to these fragile ecosystems.
• Our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan ensures chalk streams are prioritised for improvement as part of the record £11 billion investment to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows nationwide.
• We are also rebuilding the entire water network through one of the largest infrastructure projects in this country’s history with a record £104 billion investment to upgrade crumbling pipes and cut sewage spills, which will help to protect chalk streams.
• In June 2025, the Environment Agency's updated its National Framework for water resources which set out the importance of chalk streams and how we will include their needs in all water resources planning and decision making.
Our protections through the Water (Special Measures) Act and our ambitious programme of reforms following the Independent Water Commission will ensure these iconic British habitats are preserved for future generations.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
This is a revised response. The Petitions Committee requested a response which more directly addressed the request of the petition. You can find the original response towards the bottom of the petition page (https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/711368)