Our region
Stretching from Bristol and Wiltshire through Somerset to Devon and Cornwall, the West Country is made up of diverse and distinct areas facing their own unique water resource challenges.

About our region
The West Country is a varied landscape with numerous urban areas, national parks and a vast expanse of beautiful coastline. The landscape is home to environmental sites of both national and international importance and a vital working agricultural landscape too.
The region is home to rich habitats and chalk streams to saline lagoons and a variety of grassland and wetland habitats. Alongside the diverse animal and plant life, the area is home to 4.7 million people.
The region is a popular tourist destination with millions of people visiting every year to enjoy what the West Country has to offer.
KNOW YOUR WATER
Where does the water come from?
-
1,000mm
average rainfall per year
-
25,000
agricultural land holdings
-
1,400 to 1,600
hours of sunshine per year
Water resources in the region
Although the past record for meeting water needs across the region has been good, it is expected to become increasingly difficult to meet the needs of both water users and the environment. With a number of factors increasing the pressure on water resources in the West Country there is a need for drastic change over the next few decades.
West Country Water and Environment (WCWE) was created in 2018 with the purpose of developing the first ever water resource plan to protect water security across the region.
We are supporting a coordinated approach to water resources planning that goes beyond water company boundaries, improves collaboration between the core members and creates a single plan for the region.

Draft Regional Plan
Our Draft Regional Plan sets out the long-term water needs for the South West and explores:
- options to respond to the future of water resource management
- resilience of water supply
- benefits to the environment in the region.