Petition Don’t abandon the Chalk Stream recovery pack
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.
More details
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.
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Government responded
This response was given on 1 July 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 as part of our mission to clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good. Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams.
We are taking action to hold water companies and other polluters to account through the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 and delivering an ambitious programme of reforms will fix the water system, managing and resetting the water sector.
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 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, 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.
From June 2025, the Environment Agency's updated Water Resource National Framework will place chalk stream environmental needs at the heart of all water resource planning and decision making.
Our protections through the Water (Special Measures) Act will hold polluters accountable and ensure these iconic British habitats are preserved for future generations.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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Petitions Committee requests a revised response from the Government
The Petitions Committee (the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system) has considered the Government’s response to this petition. They felt the response did not respond directly to the request of the petition. They have therefore asked the Government to provide a revised response.
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