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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

Water supplied to industry, agriculture and homes mainly comes from underground aquifers and from the larger rivers in the area. Water sources in the west of the region are predominantly from reservoirs and rivers.
  • 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.

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.
We are a group of water companies, regulators and stakeholders. Our members include Wessex Water, South West Water, the Environment Agency and more.
Through our work with our partners, we aim to achieve long-term environmental planning, a drought resilient and secure water supply, and more.
We are a group of water companies, regulators and stakeholders who share a missions to secure future water supply in the West Country.