About us
We were set up in 2017 to tackle the challenge of finding new sources of water in the West Country to meet the growing demand from customers, communities and businesses.

One of five regional collectives in England and Wales, West Country Water and Environment (formerly known as West Country Water Resources) was tasked by the government under the National Framework for Water Resources to create a regional water resources plan that looks ahead to 2050 and beyond.
We are a collaboration of water companies, regulators and stakeholders who share a mission to achieve a coordinated approach to water resources planning in the West Country of England.
-
13%
increase in population grown in South West by 2050
-
1,400
million litres of water used every day in our region
-
85%
of water used is for domestic use
Our mission
The mission of West Country Water and Environment and its members is:
- planning for the current and future availability of water resources in the region
- understanding the needs of all water users, including those who are not supplied by a water company but take water directly from the source, eg, farmers and people with access to a borehole
- considering the issues that are likely to affect water supply and demand in the future, such as economic growth, forecast population, and the uncertainties of climate change
- exploring different options to improve the balance of water supply and demand in the region, including working with organisations across different sectors
- considering environmental issues and impacts
- looking at the potential to transfer water between water companies in the West Country and other regions when needed.
Our challenge
Our challenge is to drive down water consumption, reduce leakage, develop a catchment management culture and find new sources of water to meet increasing demands in the future against a background of:
- increased urbanisation and an increased growth in population - forecast to increase by 13% by 2050 in the region
- the impact of climate change and the likelihood of less summer rainfall, more heatwaves and droughts
- tighter regulations will mean less water can be taken from the environment.
Unless we develop new ways to store water and transport it to where it is needed, water shortages are likely to become more common.
The impacts of a drought can be severe on both the environment and local communities, so we are taking action to ensure we increase our future resilience to droughts by increasing our supply options alongside other demand reduction initiatives.
Because forecasting decades into the future is fraught with uncertainty, we have to plan in a flexible way that ensures that we’re able to meet our aims whatever the future holds.
Our Regional Strategic Options in Cheddar, Poole and the Mendip Quarries are key projects to enable us to tackle this challenge head on.