1) Major poll shows 76% of the public think water reform should be a, or *the* main priority for the next government.

81% are worried about the state of nature. Majority believe water is at the heart of this.

A short 🧵on #afreshwaterfuture findings / recommendations. 2) First, a shout out to @EsmeeFairbairn for ensuring this work could be done properly independently. Thank you. 🙏

A Fresh Water Future calls for:

1. With significant flooding affecting parts of the country, we're getting asked about the D word.

A short 🧵on #dredging, #flooding, #climatechange and solutions.

But to start with, dredging is not the solution to major flooding. See:

ciwem.org/assets/pdf/Pol…
2. Dredging helps maintain water levels in low lying areas - often artificially drained. It can help move water around + cope with small floods locally. These are slow flowing rivers + dredging will only minimally increase channel capacity compared to the amount of water falling.

1/4 Let's play storm overflows spot the difference!

Reasons why #sewage💩pollution is a problem are varied and need a cross-govt / system-wide solution. How much has changed between past-present-future @pow_rebecca @Dunne4Ludlow @PutneyFleur? Here's how sewers started off: 2/4 Now here's our rather dismal present:

ill-conceived development / highway infrastructure doesn't properly consider water, nature or people.
Poor maintenance, bad practice all over the place and climate change exacerbating.