The March for Clean Water is a legal, peaceful and inclusive march and rally organised by a coalition of water, wildlife and environmental pressure groups, activists and everyday people who give a shit about the shit in our waters. Let’s face it, our rivers, seas, lakes and waterways have been poisoned, polluted and neglected for decades. This march aims to be the biggest ever UK gathering wholly and solely for water. The organisations and individuals involved are calling on the government to stop the poisoning of Britain's waters. We need to get Britain’s waters off life support and reassert our right to the most basic human need – clean water.
The event will take place in Central London on Sunday 3rd November. We’ll be assembling from 11am at Albert Embankment and marching on Parliament Square to hold a rally with speeches, music and rallying cries. The assembly point and exact timings and scheduling are currently being finalised in full cooperation with all the relevant authorities and will be released shortly.
We’re coming together as bathers, swimmers, paddlers, waders, anglers, sailors, surfers, rowers, and all other water-lovers and members of the public to tell the new Government that it’s their job to stop the poisoning of Britain's waters. Together, we’ll flood the streets, follow the flow and march as one to Westminster. March for Clean Water will be a legal and non-violent demonstration and our call to action reflects this. We will be asking politicians of all parties to support 3 aims (see below) to demand the change we desperately need to create clean, healthy and abundant water for all people across the UK.
Raid your wardrobe for something blue. We’d love everyone to wear something blue and form a mass human river as we march. Please channel your disgust into a creative placard or amusing banner that captures the spirit we all share - to fight for the water we love and need. We would also encourage you to bring props to show the diversity of groups coming together to demand clean water, from fisherfolk with fishing rods to surfers with surfboards.
We are aiming for this to be the biggest ever gathering in the UK specifically for water. The march is supported by dozens of organisations (60+ and counting) and we expect to see tens of thousands of people in attendance, all in blue, one gigantic human river to turn the tide.
Britain’s waters are in a perilous state. The numbers stink. 1,271 sewage dumps per day in England. Fish Deaths increased by 176% in 2023. Agricultural runoff accounts for 40% of damage to waterways. 100% of UK rivers are polluted. 10% of freshwater species face extinction. While the ever-shrinking Environment Agency says ever-increasing levels of E.coli can cause blood poisoning and serious intestinal damage to humans. This is why we are speaking out with one voice on the critical need to rescue Britain’s waters from oblivion and show politicians the strength of feeling and the need for urgent action. So, we’re asking as many of you as possible to join us in London on the 3rd November. By marching with us, you’ll help to vocalise the mass outrage and demonstrate to policymakers the public health emergency that we’re all facing.
Water is life. When water quality hits rock bottom, everything starts dying (including us). Water is our lifeblood, across so many sectors, from food and farming to recreation & environment. We can’t have a healthy economy without clean and healthy water to make it work. Our food system will collapse without clean waters and irrigated resilient soil. Half of water users have no idea untreated sewage is discharged into rivers, causing sickness, distress and sometimes long term health. The state of our waters is now a serious public health issue. And let’s not forget the vital role a fully functional water system plays in cooling the land and limiting the impact of climate-related flooding and drought. Cleaning up water is good for our economy, our health and our communities.
Frankly yes and yes. England is the only country in the world with an entirely privatised water system. You’d expect investment, integrity and world-leading advancement. But no. They’ve constantly broken the law, illegally dumping sewage into our waters over 1000 times a day last year. They have stung the British taxpayer for over £78bn in dividends to cosy up to their shareholders, while prosecutions for repeatedly breaking the law have clawed back barely £150m in fines and they’re running on empty, paying bumper bonuses to fat cat CEOs who have wrung this precious utility bone dry. We will stop at nothing to ensure they are held to account and made to pay for their insolent, short-sighted greed. If this means prison, prison it is.
Agriculture is the greatest threat to river ecology, responsible for 40% of damage done to waterways. Fertilisers, pesticides and intensive farming all carry chemicals and faecal matter into streams and rivers. As soil erodes, phosphates and nitrates also find their way into watercourses. Algae grows and throttles everything. Insufficient slurry stores are ticking bombs. Throw in microplastics from the sewage sludge from wastewater treatment and the effects are highly toxic. Plants are dying. Fish can’t spawn. Bathing and watersports are out of bounds. The Farming Rules for Water need an overhaul. Another reason to march.
Water isn’t just a priceless commodity - it is life itself. As it stands, water is on death row, and we need super-radical change now to prevent irreversible damage. So, we are united to call on this government to put an end to the travesty of our polluted rivers, lakes, sea and reservoirs by:
• Reform Regulation - Conduct an immediate root and branch review of Ofwat & the Environment Agency to put a complete stop to any industry knowingly and wantonly polluting our waters for profit and greed.
• Enforcing the law – we already have the laws and regulations in place to end water pollution. What we need now is this new government to uphold and enforce them.
• Stop pollution for profit – make sure ALL polluting industries invest here and now for the long term, upgrading infrastructure, reducing water wastage and leaks, helping farmers restore habitats, increasing efficient water use everywhere.
March for Clean Water is being coordinated by River Action, supported by a coalition of pressure groups, grassroots organisations and individuals including: Surfers Against Sewage, Greenpeace, National Trust, Soil Association, The Rivers Trust, the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts, Angling Trust, Earthwatch Europe, Nature Friendly Farming Network, the Women's Institute, Bangor & Manchester Universities, Paddle UK, Freshwater Habitats Trust, British Canoeing, Surfing England, Clean Water Sports Alliance, Feargal Sharkey and many other impassioned local and regional campaigning bodies.
Everyone has a right to protest and to organise protests in the UK. March for Clean Water will be a legal protest and illegal activity of any kind at the march and rally will not be tolerated by the event organisers. We are proactively engaging with the Greater London Authority, Metropolitan Police and Westminster Council to inform them of our plans and event organisers are working closely with these groups throughout the delivery of the event.
March for Clean Water is calling for the government to bring about the change needed to clean up British waters once and for all, through a peaceful, non-violent and legal march. We are committed to ensuring that March for Clean Water provides a safe and inclusive atmosphere for everyone who takes part, for authorities supporting the event and for the general public. We want people to enjoy the day and feel part of something much bigger, that affects us all, every single day. The event will be a peaceful procession with art, music and creative performances along the way, while tackling a very serious issue. Event stewards will work closely with the police throughout the event and no aggressive or illegal behaviour will be tolerated whatsoever.
As the march will be taking place in central London there will be some traffic disruption, but we aim to keep this to an absolute minimum. The march will follow a short set route and we’re working with local authorities and the Metropolitan Police to ensure any disruption is brief and that notification is given to drivers ahead of time.
This is a clean issue as much as a green issue. Saying that, we are encouraging attendees to travel to this event in the greenest and most affordable ways possible. Costs are obviously a big concern in the current economic situation, and we need to balance this with our aim to cause least environmental harm. In addition to promoting existing public transport options, we are working across partners to plan coach travel as part of local transport arrangements. Group transport causes less emissions than individual travel, and in many instances, this can also be a lower cost option.
March for Clean Water is being organised by River Action and supported by Surfers Against Sewage, Greenpeace, National Trust, Soil Association, the Rivers Trust, the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts, Angling Trust and many other water-loving campaigners. We are a united coalition all fighting for the same simple, universal cause – clean water. It’s a non-divisive issue that is close to the hearts of everyone. Any organisations that plan to attend or support the march are welcome to add their name to our list of supporters, however, all supporting organisations must agree to the supporter agreement which sets out a code of conduct for behaviour on the day.
It’s hard not to be angry about the state of our waters but we’re turning our outrage into meaningful action. Months of preparation and discussions have gone into this march, with all supporter organisations having signed an agreement to adhere to the peaceful, legal and non-disruptive aims of the march and not to conduct fringe marches. In the unlikely event that any individuals break this agreement they will be asked to leave the march.
We’ve been blessed by a combination of generous donations from water and environmental charities and from individuals, with many volunteering their time to support the delivery of the event. We are deeply grateful for every penny and every minute of their time and effort. We have not accepted funding from any water-polluting industry. If you’d like to contribute to the greater good and the March for Clean Water, you are very welcome to do so by contacting info@riveractionuk.com
Yes. The event will be wheelchair accessible and BSL interpretation will be provided at the rally in Parliament Square.
Impassioned water-campaigner Feargal Sharkey is part of our steering crew and will be there on the day. Together, we aim to work with the new government to resolve this mess and put water health and security back on the agenda. In planning this event, we’ve not sought or received support for the march from any political party, leader or candidate and no political party or politician has been involved in the coordination of the march. We’ve deliberately made this an open and inclusive event, so politicians and candidates who support our objectives may choose to attend. Parties or candidates will not be formally represented at the march and will not be included in the speaker programme.
Visit https://marchforcleanwater.org to sign-up to attend or get involved and find out more details about the day. If you have problems registering to attend and receive updates you can alternatively sign-up here: https://campaigns.marchforcleanwater.org/pledgetomarch