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Policy paper

National Framework for Water Resources 2025: water for growth, nature and a resilient future

Explores England’s long term water needs, setting out the scale of action needed to ensure resilient supplies and an improved water environment.

Updates to this page

From:
Environment Agency
Published:
17 June 2025
Last updated:
27 August 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated and clarified the non-household demand forecasts explored in the modelling for the National Framework for Water Resources 2025 in Section 6.3. Corrected the National Framework for Water Resources main report Figure 3.11 maps in Section 3.2 as the table data and map data were not aligned. Updated the table water resource zone names for clarification. Clarified the drivers that impact supply (climate) versus demand in the Figure 3.11 caption. Corrected the Water Resources Data and Modelling Technical Report Section 4 maps to ensure alignment in colour scale between map and legend. This is for consistency with data available on the National Framework for Water Resources Data and Modelling Dashboard.

  2. Added 'Appendix E: Water resources data and modelling technical report'. Corrected some figures in the introduction of section 3 about estimated demand. And corrected some figures in section 3.3 about current use. Updated the graphical summary PDF to correct the same figures.

  3. Added 'Environmental Destination for Water Resources: planning guidance' as a new document on the page.

  4. Updated section 9.1, paragraph 2, to correct the figures about water abstracted for use in golf courses in England.

  5. Added 'Appendix D: Environmental Destination principles for protecting the water environment in water resources planning'.

  6. Updated the summary PDF and section 3 'How much additional water we need' to correct a figure: In 'Understanding England’s future water needs by 2055, the estimated total demand from other users for West Country Water and Environment (WCWE) should have been 217 Ml/d.

  7. Updated figure 1 (in '2. Current and future pressures on water resources') and figure 7 (in '3. How much additional water we need'). Updated the name of appendix B.

  8. First published.

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Graphical summary: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

PDF, 4.34 MB, 32 pages

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Forewords, executive summary and structure: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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1. Introduction: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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2. Current and future pressures on water resources, an overview: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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3. How much additional water we need: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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4. Water availability: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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5. Taking action: water for the environment: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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6. Taking action on public water supplies: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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7. Taking action on water for energy: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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8. Taking action on water for food: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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9. Taking action on other significant water-using sectors and emerging demands: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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10. Water resources planning and abstraction licensing: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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11. Expectations of Regional Water Resources Groups: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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12. Further evolution of water resources planning: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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13. Next steps: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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Appendix A: regional water resources planning expectations: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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Appendix B: results of public water supply water resources modelling: National Framework for Water Resources 2025

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Appendix C: Environmental Destination technical report

PDF, 1.04 MB, 40 pages

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Appendix D: Environmental Destination principles for protecting the water environment in water resources planning

PDF, 499 KB, 17 pages

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Environmental Destination for Water Resources: planning guidance

PDF, 863 KB, 57 pages

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Appendix E: Water resources data and modelling technical report

PDF, 5.8 MB, 141 pages

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Details

The National Framework for Water Resources 2025 builds on the foundation provided by:

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