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Delivering rainwater management as part of the Integrated Water Management Plan in Greater Manchester
This Foundation for Water Research (FWR) webinar provides an overview of United Utilities’ approach to rainwater management. It includes the drivers for taking a different approach to how rainwater is captured and managed where it falls, with the aim of replumbing the North West of England. The webinar covers what this looks like in real terms, with…
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Unlocking the potential of river biofilm bacteria for freshwater monitoring
England’s rivers are under pressure. Pollution from agricultural runoff, treated and untreated wastewater, and a changing climate are testing the resilience of freshwater ecosystems that millions of species and people depend on. Chemical contaminants can enter rivers in short pulses following rainfall or arise more persistently from diffuse sources across entire catchments, making their ecological…
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Two million toads and counting: Citizen science, freshwater policy, and the future of one of Britain’s most familiar amphibians
The FWR is part of the Institution of Environmental Sciences family – a professional body uniting science and people to accelerate the transition to a thriving environment. Covering 19 specialisms, the IES is at the forefront of uniting the environmental sciences around a shared goal: to work with speed, vision and expertise to solve the…
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Microplastic pollution in the freshwater environment
This event brings together experts to explore the growing issue of microplastics in our aquatic and marine environments, and the implications for sustainable wastewater management. The event features lightning presentations from experts, exploring topics including the scale of microplastic pollution in our watercourses, key sources of microplastics, and the ecotoxicological effects of microplastics in aquatic…
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FWR Panel Discussion – the impact of agriculture on water
In this Foundation for Water Research (FWR) event, speakers discussed the critical relationship between agriculture and water resources. Through a series of short, lightning presentations the expert speakers highlighted the latest insights on the impact of agriculture on water resources, experience of managing this in practice, and potential future challenges for this relationship. Presentations included:…
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The great hydropower dilemma: Can large and mega dams deliver a just energy transition?
The construction of large hydropower infrastructures has become a cornerstone of global climate mitigation strategies. As nations pursue climate-neutral economies, hydropower is often seen as a reliable renewable energy source capable of delivering large-scale, low-carbon electricity. According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Net Zero by 2050 report, the world will need 2,600 GW of…
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Integrating water management to enable sustainable growth
In January 2025 the Chancellor reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor to help kickstart economic growth, highlighting the potential of the corridor to unlock £78 billion for the UK economy by 2035. Capitalising on the region’s excellence in science and innovation will ensure that world-class research translates to commercial success.…
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How a skilled workforce is vital to our water future
Recycling water in domestic and commercial settings is critically important for mitigating projected water scarcity challenges. However, the effective normalisation of water reuse in the UK is contingent upon establishing a skilled and trustworthy workforce of installers and plumbers. The UK faces a confluence of pressures, including a projected daily public water deficit of five…
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Cotton Conscience: A view from space about wise water use in cotton cultivation management solutions
Introduction Cotton accounts for approximately half of all textile products globally. However, flows in the cotton value chain remain opaque, particularly regarding water use, despite various sustainability-related accreditation schemes. Cotton Conscience is an exploratory project, funded by the European Space Agency Business Applications and Space Solutions programme (ESA BASS). It aims to create a multi-layered,…
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Delivering multiple benefits from nature-based solutions
This discussion meeting brings together experts on nature-based solutions to discuss how they can support a healthy and resilient water environment, whilst delivering multiple benefits for people and nature. Each speaker provides a short presentation exploring their views on the role of nature-based solutions in delivering multiple benefits and how these can be delivered in practice. We then…
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Trading water across regions: Challenges, opportunities and its role in supporting resilience
Climate change is predicted to drive changes in the distribution of water across the UK, and combined with our increased usage of water, is projected to lead to increased water scarcity in England by the end of the century. This will have repercussions on the supply and demand of water across the country and will…
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Water Framework Directive economics 25 years on: From promise to practice – and the case for reform
This webinar presents a review of the economic provisions of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) by an informal group of independent European water economists, who in 2000 worked together to develop the Wateco Guidance for the economic analysis for the WFD. It documents their 25 years practical experience with WFD implementation. Jonathan Fisher first provides…
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Working with farmers for river restoration
Farmers and land managers have a huge influence on Britain’s rural environment, but there is only so much that an individual, acting in isolation, can achieve on their own. By working together, aided by an advisor or ‘facilitator’, farmers and land managers can work more cohesively together in their locality. This enables them to collectively…
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What defines a healthy river?
The Foundation for Water Research (FWR)’s Sustainable Wastewater Management Technical Panel recently held a roundtable discussion exploring the topic of healthy rivers, chaired by Oliver Grievson, FWR Vice Chair, who was joined by a range of professionals with expertise in the sector. The discussion explored the different ways of considering what defines a healthy river,…
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Water resources management and infrastructure: the challenges and the future
Water resource management can be summed up in three words: “we don’t know”. The nature of the problem is that water is part of a natural cycle, so managing water resources is a process of managing risk. These words are being written at the end of May 2025 following the lowest Spring rainfall in the…
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Enabling nature-based solutions in the water sector
The IUCN defines nature-based solutions as those that address societal challenges through actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems, benefiting people and nature at the same time. The Foundation for Water Research (FWR) Community’s Water Environment & Ecosystem Services Technical Panel held a roundtable discussion with experts from across the sector…
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Planning citizen science monitoring of rivers
The CastCo Catchment Systems Thinking Cooperative (CastCo project) is building a shared understanding of monitoring data so that citizen scientists can work alongside professionals to restore rivers together. They have been working with eight Demonstration Catchments for the last two and a half years, where volunteer coordinators have built a workforce of volunteers to carry…
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Protecting Scotland’s groundwater quality
This webinar provides an overview of the new groundwater quality standards for Scotland, including the key changes to Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA’s) associated guidance on assigning groundwater criteria for pollutant inputs, and on land contamination impacts on the water environment. This updated guidance is relevant to hydrogeological risk assessments in support of planning applications,…
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The importance of Integrated Water Management
Integrated Water Management (IWM) is a comprehensive approach that considers the entire water cycle, from source to sea, including the human interactions along the way. It integrates environmental, economic, and social factors to deliver coordinated and resilient water management solutions. IWM is vital for several reasons: How Integrated Water Management works IWM operates on the…
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Integrated water management and economic growth
Context The current Government’s overriding priority is to promote economic growth in the face of the legacy of the dire state of public services, infrastructure and public finances. Unsustainably high public debt and debt servicing costs require radical remedies. Defra have appointed Dan Corry1 to review the regulatory landscape and recommend how to make environmental…
