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Introduction
Water Resources East together with Norfolk County Council, Anglian Water and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) formed a partnership in February 2021 to deliver a Norfolk Water Strategy Programme (NWSP).
Norfolk is experiencing growing pressures on its water resources. Residents and businesses are already feeling the impacts of a shifting climate, through more frequent flooding incidents and water shortages. The ability of freshwater bodies to support biodiversity is under threat, primarily due to pollution and the destruction of native habitats.
The NWSP aims to tackle these challenges through investing in nature-based solutions and restoring more natural processes within key catchments.
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Objectives
The objectives of the Norfolk Water Strategy Programme are to secure good quality, long-term water resources for all water users, while protecting the environment and showcasing the county as an international exemplar for collaborative water management.
We are working with a variety of organisations to test and implement nature-based solutions to improve how water is managed in the county. The aim is to build a pipeline of NbS projects and amalgamate them as a portfolio into an investable, long-term, proposition for private and public financing with appropriate governance and operational management, known as a ‘Water Fund’.
Water Funds are a well-established model for facilitating collective action to address water security challenges through the implementation of NbS. Norfolk is one of two European pilots selected for Water Funds by TNC, to add to TNC’s global portfolio of water fund projects.
Business case for a Norfolk Water Fund
Based on a first-of-its-kind analysis, the Norfolk Water Strategy Programme has launched a £30 million call for investment in nature. This would establish a Norfolk Water Fund to address the water challenges that threaten Norfolk’s wildlife and economic prosperity.
The business case for investing in nature is clear: each £1 invested in nature-based solutions in Norfolk would deliver £6.70 in benefits, including improved water resources and water quality, enhanced habitats for wildlife, and the ability to unlock housing growth while protecting the environment.
This analysis is grounded in a combination of innovative modelling, stakeholder engagement, and real-world experience to demonstrate how emerging markets for nutrients and biodiversity could offer new income streams for the county’s landowners.
How to get involved
We are currently looking for two things:
- Funding to support NbS pilot projects and feasibility studies in Norfolk, to allow us to scale up our growing portfolio.
- Farmers and landowners in the Wensum, Bure, Yare and Ant catchments with sites that could appropriate for implementing NbS. We have maps and models that show where the most appropriate sites may be.
If you might be able to help, please get in touch at nwsp@wre.org.uk.
Progress Report
The NWSP published a progress report in June 2022 to seek feedback from stakeholders on the analysis underpinning the programme. The progress report:
- characterised Norfolk´s water assets, analysed the county’s water security challenges and identified how investing in nature can help address them;
- analysed the regulatory framework and financing landscape to identify challenges and opportunities to support scaling up investment in NbS; and
- proposed priority catchments for early work.
The Progress Report made two related recommendations for taking the NWSP forward. These were to establish:
- A Collective Action Platform to connect actors, disseminate information, influence the delivery and adoption of NbS-WS, and mobilise funding in general.
- A Norfolk Water Fund, dedicated to creating and scaling up a coordinated investment programme in nature-based solutions for water security.
