Envireau Water play a key role in reducing water security risk for the agri-food sector

Envireau Water are pleased to fulfil a key role in increasing the resilience to drought and water security risks for the agri-food sector.



Envireau Water has been involved for several years in the Water for Food Group, an independent forum of stakeholders and decisionmakers from the agricultural and horticultural sectors, aiming to raise the profile of water for food production and ensure that it is considered an essential need. 

This summer, the Water for Food Group launched its first Task and Finish Group, a sub-group focused on producing a Water Resources Management Plan and Drought Plan for the agri-food sector, to provide the long-term planning framework required to ensure resilient and sustainable water resources for food security. The Group aims to deliver these plans ahead of summer 2023, in time for upcoming abstraction licence renewal periods in 2024 and beyond. 

Harriet Robson, our Senior Water Resources Specialist, has taken on the role of Chair of the Task and Finish Group, bringing her experience of developing public water supply Water Resources Management Plans and Drought Plans for Essex and Suffolk Water.

On chairing the Group, Harriet comments “I am proud to be offered the role of Chair, and I relish the opportunity to represent Envireau Water and bring my experience to this new challenge. I look forward to working closely with the wide range of stakeholders involved in the Water for Food Group to improve the water resilience of the agri-food sector for many years to come.”

Tamsin Morey, our Principal Water Resources Specialist with over 15 years of experience in water resource management consultancy for the agri-food sector, also sits on the Task & Finish Group and brings Envireau Water’s unique technical perspective.

Kelly Hewson-Fisher, Water Resources National Specialist at the NFU, said “it is fantastic to have Harriet and Tamsin on board, bringing their unique range of experience and technical insight to the Task & Finish Group, and I’d like to thank Envireau Water for giving them the time to be involved.”

Envireau Water has the opportunity to provide a voice for our agricultural and horticultural client base in the development of a long-term strategy for resilience to drought and water security risks. Bringing certainty to an uncertain world with the unpredictability of Section 57 restrictions and a changing climate is a challenge that all irrigators are currently facing. The plans that the Water for Food Group are proposing are intended to provide a framework that any abstractor can adopt to aid drought resilience and long-term investment planning.

If you are concerned about your water security, or face water supply challenges in the coming seasons, get in touch with our water resources specialists or tamsinmorey@envireauwater.co.uk or harrietrobson@envireauwater.co.uk for more details.