MPs and Clean Water Sports Alliance Call For Faster Action on Water Pollution

26 February 2026

MPs and Clean Water Sports Alliance Call For Faster Action on Water Pollution

Clean Water Sports Alliance (CWSA) meet MPs at Westminster

A number of MPs have called for further and faster action on pollution following a Parliamentary event organised by the Clean Water Sports Alliance (CWSA).

The drop-in session brought together Parliamentarians and representatives of the CWSA (including the RYA, Paddle UK, Swim England, British Rowing and British Triathlon) to discuss the Water Reform White Paper.

The event was held following the publication of the Paper, which sets out a programme of reform and a pathway towards a Water Reform Bill later in this Parliament.

The White Paper proposes significant structural reform, including a new single water regulator, changes to monitoring, and a streamlined approach to water planning.

However, it is short on practical detail, fails to confirm if public health protections cover all water, and does not clearly state what will change or when.

CWSA with Ruth Cadbury MP

The MPs who attended, or sent a representative on their behalf, included: Sir Roger Gale, Conservative (Herne Bay and Sandwich), Louie French, Conservative (Old Bexley and Sidcup), Joy Morrisey, Conservative (Beaconsfield), Mark Garnier, Conservative (Wyre Forest), Fleur Anderson, Labour (Putney), Matt Western, Labour (Warwick and Leamington), Jayne Kirkham MP, Labour (Truro and Falmouth), Liz Twist, Labour (Blaydon and Consett), Ruth Cadbury, Labour (Brentford and Isleworth), James Naish, Labour (Rushcliffe), Helen Maguire, Liberal Democrats, (Epsom and Ewell), Gideon Amos, Liberal Democrats (Taunton and Wellington), Steve Darling, Liberal Democrats (Torbay).

The CWSA has set out suggestions the Government can take to improve the White Paper, including:

• A clear public health objective covering recreational water risks, not just drinking water.
• Publish accessible monitoring and compliance data to enable informed decisions about water activities.
• Strengthen existing targets through regulatory consolidation, including public health, and increase long-term funding and enforcement.
• Ensure independent regional water planning incorporates public health and meaningful recreational user input.
• Upgrade wastewater treatment in high-use recreational areas.
• Shift from a narrow bathing waters framework to a recreation waters approach encompassing all inland and coastal water users.

RYA Sustainability Manager Kate Fortnam said: "The Water Reform Bill presents a critical, once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix our broken water system. Everyone should be able to enjoy the water without risking their health. While we welcome the Water Reform White Paper, we can’t stress enough that more needs to be done to protect those who spend time recreationally in and on the water”.