Blog

Welcome to the new President

28/04/2025 Martin Bigg Charity

The Water Conservation Trust has supported Birkbeck, University of London for several years, providing bursaries and awarding dissertation prizes to post graduate students. The Water Conservators’ Company along with other livery companies and leading figures in the City of London, were honoured to be invited to the inauguration of Baroness Chakrabarti as Birkbeck’s President. In addition to ceremonial roles she will represent and promote the University. She is a Member of the House of Lords, distinguished human rights lawyer and a great role model. We are very pleased to welcome her.

On 11 November 1823 Dr George Birkbeck spoke out of the importance of educating the working people of London and the London Mechanics’ Institute was founded a month later. It became Birkbeck College in 1866. ‘For the first time, artisans and craftspeople could learn about science, art and economics: a concept so controversial that Birkbeck was accused of “scattering the seeds of evil”‘. In 1830 women were admitted as students, nearly 40 years before Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

The Trust is keen to support Birkbeck especially its teaching and research on water and the environment. Birkbeck is renowned for its evening as well as daytime teaching, and has a high proportion of more mature students and those changing careers.

Submission to Defra Independent Water Commission – Call for Evidence

27/04/2025 Dharmesh Joshi Master's Blog

We have made a substantial submission to the Call for Evidence from the Defra Independent Water Commission. You can find it on the Policy Positions page of our website.

Barriers and Opportunities for Restoring Rivers

23/04/2025 Martin Bigg Events, Sustainability

Members of the Company were at the UK Water Partnership Annual Summit on the barriers and opportunities for restoring river health. It was encouraging to hear progress to date and the contribution of young professionals to the debate around river health. There was a high level of ambition for change and cautious optimism.

Speakers urged everyone not to abandon the Water Framework Directive It was science based, founded on outcomes. Legislation is not the problem, it is the implementation. Water challenges include driving change, achieving outcomes not just activity, future proofing, securing meaningful stakeholder engagement and economic growth. Everyone is needed round the table, authorities, regulators, water companies, highways, farming etc with a commitment to make a change.

Environmental Watchdog Hails Landmark Legal Case

15/04/2025 Martin Bigg Events, News Release

A Court of Appeal judgment earlier this month could prove a significant development in legal efforts to hold the government to its duty to protect the environment, according to The Office for Environmental Protection.

The Court upheld a complaint brought by a group of fishermen in North Yorkshire, who accused the government of failing to protect and restore the ecosystem of the polluted Costa Beck near Pickering.

Speaking to the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators Election Court on 15 April, Natalie Prosser, chief executive of the OEP, said her organisation was studying the judgment closely and that it had “significant precedent value”.

She also told her audience at Tallow Chandler’s Hall in the City of London that the government is failing “pretty comprehensively” to meet its own legally binding targets for environmental standards. She described the conclusions of her office’s annual review of government policy, published in January, as “a pretty despondent finding”.

The Office found progress towards improving the environment has slowed, with government still largely off track in achieving its legal commitments. The OEP is currently investigating several areas in which it believes the government is failing to meet its legal duties, including a possible breach by DEFRA of its obligation to maintain the good environmental status of marine waters.

For further information contact Nick Higham, highamnews@gmail.com

New Liverymen and Freemen at Election Court

15/04/2025 Martin Bigg Charity, Events, Members

At our Election Court meeting we were pleased to admit Tom Morton, Michael Nates, and Cherry Parker, as Liverymen of the Company, and Penelope Banks, Sharon Barker, Eileen Bigg, Susannah Clements, Polly Courtice, Karyn Georges, Karen Murrell, Caryn Novak, Matthew Sparkes, and Craig Turner as Freemen of the Company.

Influencing the Restoration of Welsh Rivers

14/04/2025 Martin Bigg Events, Government consultations, Sustainability

The Welsh Government has acknowledged and responded to a series of ambitions in a report to help restore the health of Welsh rivers.

The top five priorities put forward were:

Reducing Intensive Agriculture Runoff
Strengthening Enforcement of Environmental Regulations
Implementing Nature-Based Solutions (Wetlands and Riparian buffer zones)
Adopting a Catchment Management Approach
Establishing a National Environmental Data-Sharing Platform

Livery Company members, including the Water Conservators, participated in a workshop in November 2024 in Cardiff, and follow up discussions, organised by the Archbishop of Wales in Cardiff. A wide number of organisations presented and discussed the challenges facing water courses in Wales including farmers, regulators, community groups, industry and business. They outlined twelve areas they felt Welsh Government should focus on including five key areas to ensure that the rivers of Wales are given the care and attention they deserve.

It was reported that currently, around 60% of Welsh rivers fail to meet good ecological status (NRW, 2023). Pollution sources include agricultural runoff, sewage discharge, industrial waste, and urban drainage. The River Wye, Usk, and Teifi are among the worst affected, primarily due to excessive phosphate levels and habitat destruction. This breakdown highlighted the need for both policy reform and stronger enforcement, as approximately 70% of river damage resulted from legal but harmful practices due to weak regulations, outdated policies, and lack of enforcement, while the remaining 30% stemmed from direct lawbreaking, including illegal pollution, permit breaches, and negligence by businesses, farmers, and water companies.

City Harvest and the Livery Food Initiative

10/04/2025 Martin Bigg Charity

Members of the Livery Companies were welcomed for an early morning tour round the New Covent Garden site at Nine Elms. The site has been open since 1974 when it transferred from the original “convent” Garden on the north side of the Thames. After 50 years the site is being rebuilt over several years to increase capacity. About 2500 people work there principally between 9 pm and 2 am. 70% of the produce is international and the buyers include shops, restaurants and hotels.

Food which would otherwise go to waste is rescued by City Harvest staff and added to other surplus food from farms, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. It is then delivered to 375+ charities across London, feeding over 100,000 people each week. It provides over 1.25 million meals a month to people facing food poverty.

The Water Conservators have been supporters of the Livery Food Initiative and City Harvest for several years. The Livery Food Initiative was launched in December 2022 and since October 2023 it has raised over £125,000 to support a City Harvest 7.5 tonne truck.

By diverting food waste it provides life-changing support to communities across London.

Raising money for Treloar’s at Mansion House

02/04/2025 Martin Bigg Charity, Events

It was a fun evening at the Treloar’s Gala Dinner at Mansion House, raising funds for this special charity founded by Sir William Treloar, a former Lord Mayor of the City of London. Treloar’s College and School need to raise more than £1.5 million per annum – over and above fees received from local authorities.

Attempting to maintain order was the Lord Mayor locum tenens – Water Conservator Sir Andrew Parmley. Dinner was followed by auctions, games, music and, of course, the Conga. The evening was very successful and raised over £130,000.

The WCWC and Trust have always supported Treloar’s School and College, by regular donations and by responding to requests for help with water features.

Historical Note:

Sir William Treloar established a “Cripples’ Fund” as his Mayoral Appeal in 1906-7. He raised £10,000 for his Alton Hospital and in 1908 he opened Treloar College and Treloar School.

Water industry veteran outlines challenges facing sector in Radio 4 interview

31/03/2025 Martin Bigg News Release

There’s much more in Britain’s broken water system that needs fixing than sewage treatment alone, according to an industry veteran and leading member of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators. But after years of starving the industry of investment, because of pressure from government and the water regulator Ofwat to keep prices down, customers will now have to pay to fix the problems.

Interviewed alongside water campaigner Feargal Sharkey on Radio 4’s PM programme (Monday 31 March), Colin Drummond, a past master of the Company, said the issue of combined sewage overflows — in which surface water drains and sewage both end up in the same treatment plants and overload them — was fudged after the water industry was privatized in 1989. “Engineers in 1990 were aware of it but were essentially told to go away. The political pressure was to keep prices down.”

Asked by presenter Evan Davies whether water companies or bill payers should pay to clean up the present mess, Drummond, a former chief executive of the waste management company Viridor and executive director of Pennon, which owns South West Water, said: “The current system is that the customers pay, because the government doesn’t have the money, and we can’t go back to local authorities controlling water because they don’t have the money either. Someone has to pay and the amount is eye-watering — we’re talking £104bn over the next five years, and it’s going to continue at that kind of level because so much needs to be done.”

And he added that there were other huge problems that needed attention, such as ensuring sufficient clean water supplies, building additional reservoirs to deal with population growth and spending more on maintenance to make sure Britain’s creaking water and waste systems were fit for the future.

For further information contact Nick Higham, highamnews@gmail.com

81st United Guilds Service at St Paul’s Cathedral

28/03/2025 Martin Bigg Events

Liverymen and friends from the Water Conservators joined with other Companies and the City of London in one of the largest City Livery events of the year.

The annual United Guilds Service was attended by the Lord Mayor and the Court of Alderman, and this year the sermon was given by The Very Reverend Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark (an expert on Mud Larking!). The Service, held in St Paul’s Cathedral, was packed. The Livery Companies were seated in order of Precedence which meant that we were in row 52 but had a great view of the colour and splendour of the Cathedral and Livery in front of us.

First established in 1943, following the Blitz of 1940-41, the idea of the Service was to help uplift spirits following the Blitz during the Second World War. Reflecting the religious origins of the Guilds the Service is held on Lady Day being the first day of the year according to the Julian Calendar.

It was a great opportunity to catch up with friends from across the Livery Companies and beyond.

After the Service the Companies dispersed to different Halls for lunch and we joined the Masons, Blacksmiths, Woolmen, Glaziers. Scientific Instrument Makers, Engineers, Constructors, Information Technologists, and Educators at the impressive home of the Worshipful Company of Painer-Stainers. I am pleased to report that we responded with the loudest cheer during the introductions!

Welcome to the new President

Submission to Defra Independent Water Commission – Call for Evidence

Barriers and Opportunities for Restoring Rivers

Environmental Watchdog Hails Landmark Legal Case

New Liverymen and Freemen at Election Court

Influencing the Restoration of Welsh Rivers

City Harvest and the Livery Food Initiative

Raising money for Treloar’s at Mansion House

Water industry veteran outlines challenges facing sector in Radio 4 interview

81st United Guilds Service at St Paul’s Cathedral

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81st United Guilds Service at St Paul’s Cathedral