Water quality plans released by Environment Agency

The UK's Environment Agency has announced the release of its draft South West River Basin Management Plan, which deals with water quality in the area.

It outlines how public sector bodies, businesses and communities can work together to improve water quality in the south of England.

Some of the points in the guide include protecting inland waterways and coastal waters, preventing pollution spilling into lakes and rivers and improving water efficiency in homes and establishments.

According to a statement from the agency, though there is more to be done on the issue, water quality has improved "dramatically" over the last twenty years.

Ben Bunting, River Basin Programme Manager for the agency, commented: "We want people living in the South West to tell us what they want to achieve in the water environment and how they think it should be done."

In related news, a river in East Sussex was contaminated following an oil spill last week. Local residents noticed discoloration on the surface of the water and notified authorities immediately.