Liverpool to accelerate River Mersey clean-up

The plan aims to reduce sewage discharges, boost biodiversity and reduce flood risk across the Liverpool City Region

A mayor has announced a new partnership to make rivers in Merseyside cleaner.

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, has announced an agreement with United Utilities and the Mersey Rivers Trust to help deliver the government's national water quality goals and accelerate the clean-up of the River Mersey.

The agreement commits the three partners to a joint five-year action plan aimed at reducing sewage discharges, boosting biodiversity and reducing flood risk.

Mr Rotheram said it was an opportunity to demonstrate how national and local leadership could work together to deliver meaningful change.

"Our ambition is to make the River Mersey a national example of what can be achieved when we work together.

"We know that the challenge of cleaning up our rivers is not unique to us – communities up and down the country are demanding change."

The plan would also explore nature-based solutions, such as sustainable drainage systems and natural flood management techniques, to reduce pressure on the sewer network and cut the risk of overflows, the mayor said.

The partnership will work to ensure that local rivers meet and exceed national standards under the Water Framework Directive, supporting the government's aim for rivers to achieve "good" ecological status.

The collaborative effort will also support the government's Storm Overflows Reduction Plan, which aims to cut discharges by 40% by 2040.

In 2023, raw sewage was discharged into England's rivers and seas for over 4 million hours, marking a 129% increase from the previous year.

John Sanders, co-director of the Mersey Rivers Trust, said the collaboration had the potential to build on decades of progress in improving the health of local waterways.

"Over the years, we've seen the Mersey recover from one of the most polluted rivers in Europe to a symbol of environmental regeneration," he said.

Louise Beardmore, chief executive officer of United Utilities said the agreement builds on its legacy partnership and founding membership of the Mersey Basin Campaign, "which showed what we can achieve when we work together".

"We care deeply about the River Mersey and will continue to do everything we can to ensure its healthy future," she said.