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Climate change is an urgent issue we cannot ignore, and requires the collective action of communities across the globe if the worst effects are to be mitigated. From rising sea levels, extreme weather events to a loss of biodiversity, the potential impacts are widespread. However, this world water day, the focus is rightly on glacial preservation - our planet's largest natural freshwater reservoir. Why is it important? At Envireau Water, we recognise the widespread impact that glacial meltwater has across the whole planet, leading to the escalation of more extreme weather events as a result. Not only does this impact the environment with the disruption of ecosystems and water cycles, but also has a profound impact on society and industries reliant on a stable water supply. As a team of water scientists, we have witnessed first-hand the undeniable impact that flooding and drought events have had on the mineral, agricultural, industrial and development sectors, from failing crops and flooded farmland to a halt in distilling operations and delayed development projects, the ripple effects of these events are felt across communities and businesses alike.

It is safe to say that Envireau Water have had a long line of success stories over our years of operation across our four sectors of expertise, with permitting and licensing being just one of our many service offerings. So, what has fuelled our success? To get some insight, we turned to our Specialist Water Resources team for their perspective. Penny , can you expand on Envireau Water's success in this area? 'Water is a vital resource across many industries, without which they would not be able to operate effectively. However, this does not come without certain regulatory constraints, which must be abided by. That's where we come in.

Achieving nutrient neutrality is a challenging task, and is one that developers all over the country have battled to achieve over the last 5-6 years. In March 2022, Natural England issued a directive to Local Planning Authorities, County Councils, the Environment Agency, the Planning Inspectorate, Natural Resources Wales, and DLUHC stating that, in specific river catchments, developments should not be permitted if the LPA cannot definitively ensure that it will not adversely impact protected environmental sites due to increased levels of nitrate and/or phosphate. While the current approach is efficient, robust, and objective, it can also be slow, costly, and overly complex—leading to potential project delays and increased expenses for housing developers. To address these challenges, the government released the Planning Reform Working Paper in December 2024. This initiative aims to unlock approximately 28,000 homes across seven areas in England that had been stalled due to nutrient neutrality concerns, backed by £47 million from the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund.

The second new team member to join us this year, we’re thrilled to welcome Chris Allman to our growing team as a Senior Hydrogeologist!

As 2024 came to a close, we reflected on a truly remarkable year of progress and innovation for the Envireau Water team. But now, our focus turns to what lies ahead in 2025.

Understanding current and future flood and coastal erosion risks is essential to help policymakers, developers, practitioners, and communities adapt to a changing climate.

As we kick off 2025, we are delighted to welcome Thomas Handley to our team as an Environmental Technician.

As always, the year has flown by, and as we enter our 27th year of operation, what better time to reflect on the successes of 2024.

Last month, members of our technical team, Shona Symon , Jenny Harrison and Juan Rivera had the pleasure of attending and presenting at the annual Ineson Lecture at Burlington House, London.

Sophie joined our team at Easter, and the time has flown by! Let’s take a look at what she has been doing during that time… Before starting her career in Envireau Water's water resources team, Sophie completed a BSc in Physical Geography from the University of Edinburgh prior to specialising in Environmental Technology with Integrated Water Management during her MSc at Imperial College London. We can't believe how quickly the last six months have gone, with Sophie already having gained valuable experience across several industries. She has had the opportunity to work on a variety of technical projects, such as water trading assessments for clients in restricted surface and groundwater catchments, environmental impact assessments for several distilleries across Scotland and water abstraction licence applications.

We're delighted to congratulate Harriet Robson's recent promotion to Principal Water Resources Specialist! Prior to joining our North Yorkshire office in 2022 as a Senior Water Resources Specialist, Harriet began her career in Water Resources with Mott MacDonald and Essex & Suffolk Water after developing a keen interest in water resources management whilst undertaking her MSc at Newcastle University. Since joining Envireau Water, Harriet has not only strengthened our core capabilities in water resources regulation, but has also accomplished several personal milestones, from chairing a National Drought Working Group as part of the Water for Food Group (WFFG), to achieving chartered status as a Chartered Water and Environmental Manager.

On the 24th of September, members of the Envireau Water team had the pleasure of hosting our first distilling and malting pop-up event, From Source to Spirit: A Distillers Masterclass to a Climate Resilient Water Supply at the prestigious Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Moray. The event was chaired by our Managing Director, Dr. Phil Ham , who is responsible for the delivery of Envireau Water's water supply projects and has been working closely with the distilling and malting industries for the last 15 years. We caught up with Phil after the event to see what he thought about the day... Phil, what was so special about this year's Envireau Knowledge event? This is the first event that where we have focussed exclusively on the distilling and malting industry.

You may have noticed our recent news spotlights focusing on the issues affecting Scotland's five whisky regions. With only one day to go until our upcoming conference: From Source to Spirit: A Distiller's Masterclass to a Climate Resilience Water Supply, we asked our Senior Hydrogeologist, Shona Symon to take it one step further and highlight the issues facing Dufftown itself. Situated in the heart of Scotland's Speyside region, Dufftown is often referred to as the 'Whisky Capital of the World.' This small town is home to six renowned distilleries, including Glenfiddich, Kinninvie, and Balvenie, all of which are recognised for their significant contributions to the Scotch whisky industry, blending tradition and innovation. Shona, can you explain the importance of developing more resilient water sources in the future for Distilleries across Dufftown? Ensuring long-term sustainability and supporting growth at Dufftown’s distilleries relies on the development of more resilient water sources. Climate change poses a significant threat, particularly in the Speyside region, with climate predictions highlighting

Last week, members of our technical team headed to the University of Hull to attend and exhibit at the 23rd EIG conference.

A breath-taking island located in the southern Inner Hebrides, Islay is renowned for its peaty whiskies and is home to several active distilleries. Distilling plays a vital role on this small island, drawing global tourists and fuelling its economy. Distilleries on Islay face significant water management challenges due to the island's environmental and hydrological conditions and growing pressures of climate change. Addressing these issues requires innovative solutions and advanced planning to ensure the long-term sustainability of whisky production on the island. Our expert technical team, with over 14 years of experience supporting clients in the distilling and malting industry, includes our Principal Hydrogeologist, Chris Woodhouse .  We asked Chris for his insight on how our industry experience aligns with the challenges faced today.

Effective water management is critical for the Scottish distilling industry, particularly as climate change intensifies water scarcity challenges. A recent British Geological Survey and CREW report highlights the potential for more frequent droughts and the increasing vulnerability of water sources. Our expert team of hydrogeologists and water management specialists have been working with the distilling and allied industries for over a decade to support the sustainable use of water resources. No one more so than Dr Phil Ham , our managing director and Hydrogeologist. We asked Phil how the issues addressed in the report align with our experience working in this industry. Phil, can you give us a snapshot of the challenges that face the industry? Distillers used to be able to take water resources for granted but that's no longer the case. Maintaining current production levels has become a routine challenge, let alone finding additional resources to support expansion prospects.

Our team's recent monitoring rounds have got us thinking...why should you invest in environmental monitoring ? Environmental monitoring is crucial to understand water systems and ensure regulatory compliance by enabling us to assess and observe the quality of the natural environment over time; generating evidence for environmental impact assessments and protecting it from human activities. Monitoring systems may also be used to support or challenge applications for planning permissions, environmental permits and abstraction licenses. However, it involves more than just data collection; it must be designed to meet specific objectives, which vary by purpose, application and audience. Regular reviews are essential to ensure the system remains suitable, as incorrect data collection can occur otherwise. Remember, monitoring is a continuous process, with true value often realised after many years of data collection!