Innovation, an army of engineers, storage and treatment solutions and a helping hand from nature – is helping Severn Trent dramatically cut spills, and boost river health in Warwickshire.

Four nature recovery projects will begin over the summer in Dearne Valley in South Yorkshire, to complement a wider programme of investment at Yorkshire Water’s wastewater treatment sites to improve water quality in the river Dearne.

A new report from EarthWatch Europe based on a citizen science blitz over the weekend of 7-10 June,has found that 75% of rivers across UK showed poor ecological health.

Toby Harding, Technical Director at WSP and AMP8 Strategy lead, who chairs WSP’s Nature Based Solutions working group, takes a look at the wide-ranging benefits of using Nature Based Solutions (NbS) to address environmental challenges – including low capital and operational costs, along with reducing energy demand.

Yorkshire Water has begun work at its Thornton-le-Beans wastewater treatment site in a £4 million investment which will see the development of a new nature-based wetland solution to improve water quality in the river Wiske, a tributary of the river Swale.

The West Sussex village of Bosham has been announced as Southern Water’s latest pilot project in rolling out innovative nature-based and engineering solutions to cut storm overflows.

Southern Water has unveiled plans for a large wetland next to its treatment works in Staplefield in West Sussex.

United Utilities has announced that work will soon begin around Liggard Brook and Main Drain, Lytham St Annes, as part of a £3 million funded scheme across Lancashire which will have sustainable benefits for wildlife and the local community.

Wessex Water is trialling smaller-scale versions of wetlands in Wiltshire to help expand natural methods to protect some of the waterways near the city of Salisbury.

Households would be willing to pay up to £40 a year more on their water bill to use nature instead of man-made materials to improve river water quality and reduce the risk of flooding, according to new research by the Consumer Council for Water (CCW).