Liverpool City Region leads national drive to clean up rivers with ambitious plan for a cleaner Mersey

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, has announced a landmark 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, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), builds on the Government's Plan for the Water Sector, aligning with national efforts to tackle pollution and reduce storm overflows, and the Mayor's ambition to deliver a discharge-free Mersey. 

The MOU commits the three partners to a joint five-year action plan aimed at reducing sewage discharges, improving water quality, and boosting biodiversity across the Liverpool City Region.  

It is a collaborative effort to 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. Data from environmental regulators in 2022 reported at least 399,864 instances of untreated sewage being released into UK rivers and coastlines, averaging approximately 1,091 times per day. 

Mayor Steve Rotheram said the agreement was an opportunity to demonstrate how national and local leadership can work together to deliver meaningful change: 

“The River Mersey is part of who we are – a symbol of our past and our future. We've made huge progress in cleaning up the river over the last 30 years, but now it's time to finish the job. By working together with United Utilities, the Mersey Rivers Trust and the Government, we will accelerate the clean-up of our great river and work towards my ambition of a discharge-free Mersey by 2030. 

“This partnership is about delivering on the Government's national plan while demonstrating how local leadership can help accelerate progress. If we can do this in the Liverpool City Region, we can set a standard for others to follow. Together, we can make the Mersey – and rivers across the country – cleaner, greener, and healthier for future generations.” 

The Liverpool City Region's approach is designed to support and enhance the delivery of the Government's national targets, while bringing forward faster local action. Under the MOU, the partners will develop a five-year pipeline of projects focused on improving water quality, reducing flood risks, and enhancing biodiversity. These projects will also explore innovative 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 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. Additionally, the partners are committed to enhancing public access to the region's waterways, creating cleaner and safer spaces for communities to enjoy. 

Louise Beardmore, Chief Executive Officer of United Utilities, welcomed the agreement and reaffirmed the company's commitment to working in partnership to deliver results: 

“We have an ambitious plan, including the largest ever investment programme in water and wastewater infrastructure in a century, to transform the region's waterways and enable the step change people want to see. Our investment to significantly reduce discharges from storm overflows and improve water quality builds on our 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. That's why we are fully committed to working in partnership with the Liverpool City Region and Mersey Rivers Trust to deliver transformational improvements that support the Government's goals for the water sector.” 

John Sanders, Co-Director of the Mersey Rivers Trust, praised the collaborative approach and its potential to build on decades of progress in improving the health of local waterways: 

“The Mersey Rivers Trust is proud to be part of this pioneering partnership. Over the years, we've seen the Mersey recover from one of the most polluted rivers in Europe to a symbol of environmental regeneration. This agreement ensures that we continue to build on that success, helping to deliver the Government's national water quality goals while making our local rivers cleaner and more accessible for everyone.” 

The Liverpool City Region's initiative is not only a local project, but a demonstration of how regional action can help deliver national outcomes. By directly contributing to the targets set out in the Government's Plan for the Water Sector, the partnership aims to serve as a model for other regions, showing how local leadership, industry collaboration, and community involvement can drive faster progress on water quality. 

Mayor Rotheram praised the Government's leadership on water quality and highlighted how local partnerships can help deliver faster results: 

“The Government's Plan for the Water Sector is a welcome step forward in protecting our rivers, and I want to make sure that Liverpool City Region is at the forefront of delivering that mission. This isn't about pointing fingers – it's about rolling up our sleeves and working together to solve the problem. With this agreement, we're showing how national ambition, local leadership, and industry action can come together to deliver results faster, for people, communities, and nature.” 

The agreement between the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, United Utilities, and the Mersey Rivers Trust will also include a joint programme of water management projects in collaboration with local authorities, developers, and community organisations.  

These projects will align with the Government's objectives for reducing pollution, protecting habitats, and increasing the resilience of water infrastructure to climate change impacts. 

The Mayor concluded by inviting other regions to learn from Liverpool City Region's experience and to contribute to the collective national effort to improve water quality: 

“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. 

“That's why we're not just acting locally, we're sharing what we learn to help drive national progress. By aligning our local ambition with the Government's national plan, we're proving that faster, better outcomes are possible – and that by working together, we can leave a cleaner, healthier environment for generations to come.”