Anglian Water and Severn Trent have teamed up to announce a Get River Positive Plan - five pledges to transform river water quality across their regions.

The commitments are a clear and actionable response to calls for a revival of rivers in England. Central to the pledges is a commitment that work carried out by the two water companies will ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm our rivers.

The Get River Positive plan is underpinned by five key pledges that set a framework for the water companies to lead the charge in protecting and revitalising rivers. The plan builds on the ambitions laid out in the water industry’s recently published 21st Century Rivers manifesto, illustrating how the ten actions for change called for in that declaration can be delivered locally.


The pledges that Anglian Water and Severn Trent have confirmed are designed to provide water companies with a framework on which to build their own operational and environmental plans.

Peter Simpson CEO for Anglian Water said: "We share the ambitions of our customers, and their expectation that our rivers should be beautiful places, rich in nature. We've come a long way since privatisation in protecting the environment and helping it to flourish – today marks an evolution in our promise and will see us go even further.

"As the Environment Bill became the Environment Act, we made it clear we felt even more action was needed to ensure the future health of our rivers – by coming together as an industry, securing the right investment as part of the regulatory process, and working collaboratively with other sectors. We firmly believe in the power of collaboration to solve big challenges which is why it’s vital we bring the right people together. Get River Positive is the start of a movement, of tangible action that will deliver the changes we all want to see."