South West Water is celebrating 15 years of its award-winning catchment management programme, Upstream Thinking, which has worked with more than 2,000 farms across 144,120 hectares of land to reduce pollution in rivers and improve water quality across the region.
Since its launch in 2010, the programme has focused on natural, land-based solutions to prevent pollutants such as manure, fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides from entering rivers and reservoirs. By working with farmers and environmental partners, Upstream Thinking helps protect raw water sources, enhance biodiversity, and reduce the cost and intensity of water treatment.
Delivered by a coalition of environmental partners, including the Westcountry Rivers Trust, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, and Devon Wildlife Trust, the initiative funds farm advisers to help landowners adopt best practices in soil testing, nutrient management, slurry storage, and runoff control. So far, the project has overseen the planting of more than 390,000 trees — acting as natural filters that reduce sediment, prevent erosion, and slow water flow.
“I’m incredibly proud of what the Upstream Thinking programme has achieved over the past fifteen years. It shows what’s possible when we look beyond simply treating water, and focus instead on protecting and improving it at its source,” said Susan Davy, CEO of Pennon Group. “When our raw water is cleaner, it means healthier rivers, thriving biodiversity and fewer environmental impacts.
What makes this programme so special is the way it brings people together — farmers, conservationists, scientists and land managers — all with a shared goal of restoring nature and improving water quality.”
The next phase of Upstream Thinking, running from 2025 to 2030, will extend across the South West Water and Bournemouth Water regions, and, for the first time, include Bristol Water. Delivery partners include the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Wessex Rivers Trust, and others.
Between 2015 and 2025, the programme delivered management activities across an area equivalent to the size of London, supported by research and independent monitoring from the Centre for Resilience, Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW) at the University of Exeter.
“To put it into context, the 144,120 hectares of land we have already worked on is roughly the same size as London,” said David Smith, Natural Resources Manager at South West Water. “We want to thank all the farmers and land managers who have helped improve water quality and protect river wildlife across the South West.”
“Upstream Thinking has enabled us to effect significant positive change in the agricultural landscape,” added Annabel Martin, Land Management Officer at the Westcountry Rivers Trust. “We’re proud to have worked with South West Water since the very start of the programme and to see its continued evolution.”
As it enters its 15th year, Upstream Thinking continues to provide a national blueprint for collaborative, nature-based catchment management — reducing pollution, restoring biodiversity, and safeguarding water quality for future generations.
