Water for Life

Water for Life, the Water White Paper, describes a vision for future water management in which the water sector is resilient, in which water companies are more efficient and customer focused, and in which water is valued as the precious and finite resource it is. And it explains that we all have a part to play in the realisation of this vision.

• Water White Paper

Our departmental priorities laid down in Defra’s Structural Business Plan include:

• helping to enhance the environment and biodiversity to improve quality of life
• enhancing and protecting the natural environment – including biodiversity and the marine environment – by reducing pollution and preventing habitat loss and degradation
• supporting a strong and sustainable green economy, resilient to climate change
• encouraging businesses, people and communities to manage and use natural resources in a sustainable manner and to reduce waste
• working to ensure that the UK economy is resilient to climate change

Our priority areas of work include:

• the Natural Environment White Paper
• managing flooding
• pursuing the zero waste agenda
• reforming the water industry to enhance competition and improve conservation
• driving sustainable public sector practice across government

Recent publications

• Flood & Water Management Act 2010: Progress Report on Implementation

• The Government’s response to Sir Michael Pitts review of the summer 2007 floods – Final progress report

• UK Climate Change Risk Assessment: Government Report

• Code of Practice on Noise from Ice-Cream Van Chimes Etc. 1982

• The Environment in the United Kingdom’s Overseas Territories: UK Government and Civil Society Support

• Environmental Permitting Guidance – Groundwater Activities

All environment publications