Working Together Consultation

This consultation, known as Working Together, aims to let everyone know what we are doing, when and why. It helps us to find out who wants to be engaged in the process

The next step is the Challenges and Choices consultation, this is due to start in June 2025. We will share what we know and learn from others to help us identify the significant water management issues. We will consult on what can be done about them and who can help us to do this.

The final consultations are on the draft updated RBMPs, we expect this consultation to open in June 2026. In the draft plans will classify water bodies and set objectives for water body status to 2033. We will set out measures to address issues and how these measures will be delivered at a local scale. You will have the opportunity to respond to a consultation on these draft plans including their level of ambition for the water environment and commitment to deliver.

By December 2027 we aim for the final RBMPs to be approved by Ministers and to be published.  These set the direction for how we will manage, protect and improve our water environment in Wales to 2033.

A Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment will be undertaken alongside the RBMP to influence and inform its development. These are a legal requirement and are undertaken to assess whether our proposals for improving the water environment could have intended or unintended consequences for people or the wider environment.

Public interest in our waters has intensified in recent years, with issues such as pollution and drought making the headlines. We want to embrace this and work with everyone, including those we haven’t worked with before. The formal process outlined above is not the only way in which you can engage with us.

We will work with national and local groups and to work closely with other stakeholders. This includes conservation, agriculture, business, recreation, local and regional government, angling, water industry, energy, navigation, shellfish fisheries, transport, mining and academic institutions.  We welcome input from new organisations and individuals to enable us to learn from everyone's experiences and knowledge about our waters.

We will try to ensure other relevant plans and strategies both local and national are considered in our RBMP review. More details on this are in the table below.  We will continue to engage with the owners of relevant plans and strategies on all the steps of our process.

Wales is split into three River Basin Districts (RBD): Western Wales, Dee and Severn, this is shown in the map below.  The boundaries of the Dee and Severn RBD cross into England. We work with the Environment Agency on these RBMPs. NRW lead on the consultations and updated RBMPs for Western Wales and Dee, the Environment Agency lead on the Severn.

The Environment Agency leads on the Severn RBD.  Their Working Together consultation is now open and can be found at:  https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/river-basin-planning-working-together-2024