Farmers' ideas wanted as part of new ‘Cash for Catchments’ scheme

Applications are open to farmers to offer ideas that could change the way Severn Trent works to improve the water environment across the region in the future.

The company, which serves more than eight million people across the Midlands and mid-Wales, has launched a new scheme called ‘Cash for Catchments’ which will provide funding to support water environment improvements.

Applications are now open to landowners, farmers, community groups and non-governmental organisations to submit ideas that could make a real difference in the future.

‘Cash for Catchments’ forms part of Severn Trent’s work on the Catchment Based Approach partnerships which were introduced by Defra in 2011 to help achieve the Water Framework Directive initiatives.

Zara Turtle, who is leading the scheme for Severn Trent, explains: “We hope that the best of the ideas will be real game changers that can have a massive positive effect on the water environment right across our region.

“Submissions could cover anything from natural flood management and river restoration to improving river water quality and preserving the region’s biodiversity.

“We’re really excited that the window for ideas is now open and we’re looking forward to reviewing some really innovative projects that we can collaborate on in the future.”

The groups with the best ideas will be invited to Severn Trent’s Coventry HQ to present them to a panel of experts, ‘Dragons Den’ style, and they will then be allocated funding to take the projects forward.

The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Wednesday 30 May. For more information about the scheme visit www.stwater.co.uk/cashforcatchments.