Cotswolds Rivers Trust takes a stand on Thames Water funding

At the Cotswolds Rivers Trust (CRT), our mission has always been to protect and enhance the rivers and streams of the Cotswolds and surrounding areas, particularly against those responsible for polluting them. In line with this commitment, our Trustees have taken a critical step by adopting a new policy towards our working relationship with Thames Water. Moving forward, we will no longer accept funding from the water company for projects that do not directly contribute to improving its own service levels.

Why we’re taking a stand

The unanimous decision by the charity’s Trustees stems from serious concerns about Thames Water’s ongoing failure to meet statutory obligations and the heightened scrutiny of its financial management.

Sewage pollution is the leading cause of our waterways failing to achieve good ecological status and there is little evidence that this will stop anytime soon.

Thames Water continuously fail to meet its statutory obligations, resulting in serious pollution incidents. The company is currently under investigation by the Environment Agency for illegal discharges at hundreds of sites, as well as a separate investigation at the Witney Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) on the river Windrush.

It is the view of the Trustees that we should not accept funding from a company that continuously pours sewage into our waterways, and remain under active investigation from enforcement agencies.

Why we’re rejecting Thames Water funding

It’s important to clarify why we have decided to stop accepting funds from Thames Water. Simply put, any funding provided by Thames Water to third parties is unlikely to address the core issue: the company's ongoing failure to upgrade its sewage treatment works and resolve the high levels of infiltration and leakages. These upgrades are crucial to achieving the good water quality we all strive for.

Thames Water should prioritise upgrading its assets and fulfilling its statutory obligations rather than funding external projects that, in reality, make no difference to the ecological status of the Cotswolds’ waterbodies. We believe that accepting such funding could detract from the urgent need for Thames Water to take responsibility for the pollution it causes.

Alternatives to Thames Water funding

We recognize that projects aimed at enhancing the ecological and physical condition of our waterbodies require funding. However, we believe there are multiple other sources of funding, both public and private, that can be accessed for these very purposes. We aim to work with partners and stakeholders to identify and secure these alternative funding sources so that our positive actions can continue to flourish.

Our role in the Windrush Catchment Partnership

The CRT is fully supportive of the catchment-based approach, noting that our collective organisations are greater than the sum of our parts. Thames Water are welcome partners within this partnership. As hosts of the Windrush Catchment Partnership, which has previously received Thames Water funding, we acknowledge that the decision to accept or reject further funding will ultimately lie with the partnership. However, we will be urging the partnership to follow our example, as well as that of the Evenlode Catchment Partnership, in rejecting Thames Water funding while the pollution continues.

The way forward

Our new policy is clear: until further notice, the Cotswolds Rivers Trust will not accept any further funding from Thames Water unless it goes towards directly combating its failing service level. This decision is not targeted at any individuals within Thames Water but rather at the company’s systemic failure to appropriately manage its assets and fulfil its statutory obligations.

By taking this stand, we hope to put pressure on Thames Water to prioritise essential upgrades to their infrastructure and take meaningful action to reduce pollution in our rivers. The health of our waterbodies is too important to be compromised, and we believe this policy is a step in the right direction to ensure a better future for not just the Cotswolds but the wider Thames Basin.

We appreciate the support of our community and partners in this matter and remain committed to our mission of protecting and enhancing the Cotswolds’ rivers for generations to come.

For more information on our new policy or to get involved in our efforts, please contact us at contact@cotswoldsriverstrust.org.