Why Water Stewardship is Important in the Year of Groundwater

February 23, 2022

Water is a critical resource, which needs careful management to achieve the right balance between the needs of the environment, people, and businesses. Envireau Water’s annual Borehole Users Conference has always focused on the practical actions required to protect and manage water resources and in November last year, sustainability and water stewardship were two key topics within our theme ‘Drilling Boreholes is a Risky Business’.


So, what does it mean to be a good ‘water steward’? Water stewardship is more than just complying with local regulatory requirements and protecting your water supply. It requires a much wider understanding of the impacts of your water use, at both a site and catchment scale, and working collaboratively not only with regulators but with all stakeholders to address shared water challenges. This all starts by adopting the mindset that your water supply is just one small part of a much larger cycle.

Why is it important?

As a group of water resources hydrogeologists and hydrologists, we are seeing the demands and pressure on water resources increase, and the challenges surrounding water abstraction becoming more complex. This is all happening within the backdrop of a changing and more unpredictable climate.


Water stewardship provides a framework for businesses to develop collaborative, rather than adversarial, approaches to water resources management. It enables businesses to mitigate their operational water risks and develop opportunities, whilst at the same time delivering wider social, economic, and environmental benefits.


Adopting a water stewardship standard provides a benchmark for businesses to demonstrate they are actively working to sustainably manage their water supplies and tackle water related challenges at a catchment scale. This offers significant reputational rewards.

What we are doing

We have followed the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard System Training, at the Specialist Level, and we are actively assisting our clients to achieve and maintain AWS certification.


The AWS Standard is one of the leading international standards for sustainable and responsible water use. Our support covers all five elements of the standard, to enable our clients to understand, commit and plan, implement, evaluate, and communicate water stewardship actions.


Phil Ham, our Managing Director, says:

‘As a team that delivers practical solutions to support the natural water system that our clients rely on, we are a driving force to guide businesses along the right path, ensuring correct management and regulation of vital water resources. We recognise the role that stewardship can deliver, through encouraging the development of collective responses to complex water resources challenges.’ 


Could we support you?

Water stewardship does not need to be complicated but it does require a thorough understanding of the way in which water is managed at both a site and catchment scale. If you are interested in the benefits that certification could bring to your business, or you have started on your water stewardship journey already and require support, then get in touch with Phil Ham at PhilHam@envireauwater.co.uk to discuss how we can assist you.


About Envireau Water

At Envireau Water, we are a team of expert water scientists and engineers, who provide guidance on the management and regulation of natural water systems across the UK. By working collaboratively with our clients and the regulators, we deliver robust sustainable solutions that meet the requirements of all stakeholders. With an incredibly loyal client base and our ability to work seamlessly throughout the four nations of the UK, many of our clients know us individually and trust us to find resolutions to their water problems for years to come.


Connect with us on LinkedIn to hear the latest industry developments and updates regarding our team.


Envireau Water is an RSK Group Company.

Share

By Rachael Plant July 22, 2025
We are excited to welcome Dr Anna Hitchmough to our growing team, who recently joined Envireau Water as a Principal Technical Specialist. With over 25 years of consultancy experience in hydrogeology, Anna brings a wealth of expertise to our team. Anna joins us from Carbon Zero Consulting/RSK Geosciences, where her career has centred around ground-source heat pump systems. In her most recent role, Anna chaired RSK's Heat Decarbonisation Working Group and Hydrogeology Working Group. Anna brings extensive experience in quantitative risk assessments and NAPL characterisation and has completed significant work on several contaminated land projects, having previously served as Chair of the Geological Society's Contaminated Land Group. Anna's academic background stems from the University of Newcastle where she completed an MSc in Hydrology, followed by a PhD in Hydrogeology at the University of Birmingham. She is also a chartered geologist.
By Rachael Plant July 10, 2025
We're always excited to see our team grow, and we are thrilled to welcome Hannah to the team. Hannah joined our Scotland office at the end of June to gain some hydrogeological experience alongside completing her university studies, and we look forward to welcoming her officially in September where she will begin her career as a Hydrogeologist. Prior to joining, Hannah completed a BSc in Environmental Sciences at University of Glasgow and is currently working towards completing an MSc in Hydrogeology at the University of Strathclyde. During her masters and undergraduate degree, Hannah has participated in various fieldwork activities where she developed an in-depth understanding of applied hydrology, soil analysis and mapping techniques.
By Rachael Plant July 8, 2025
Our team just keeps on growing and we are delighted to welcome Rob Pickersgill as our newest member! Rob joined us at the end of June, bringing extensive experience across both hydrology and civil engineering, with a particular focus on hydraulic modelling, Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs), and Discharge Impact Assessments. Rob's academic background stems from the University of Nottingham, where he completed a MEng in Engineering, followed by an MSC in Global Urban Development and Planning at the University of Manchester. Rob joins our specialist surface water team and will be based at the RSK Group office in Bristol, providing hydrological services to a range of projects for our diverse client base, primarily within the development sector.
Show More
By Rachael Plant July 22, 2025
We are excited to welcome Dr Anna Hitchmough to our growing team, who recently joined Envireau Water as a Principal Technical Specialist. With over 25 years of consultancy experience in hydrogeology, Anna brings a wealth of expertise to our team. Anna joins us from Carbon Zero Consulting/RSK Geosciences, where her career has centred around ground-source heat pump systems. In her most recent role, Anna chaired RSK's Heat Decarbonisation Working Group and Hydrogeology Working Group. Anna brings extensive experience in quantitative risk assessments and NAPL characterisation and has completed significant work on several contaminated land projects, having previously served as Chair of the Geological Society's Contaminated Land Group. Anna's academic background stems from the University of Newcastle where she completed an MSc in Hydrology, followed by a PhD in Hydrogeology at the University of Birmingham. She is also a chartered geologist.
By Rachael Plant July 10, 2025
We're always excited to see our team grow, and we are thrilled to welcome Hannah to the team. Hannah joined our Scotland office at the end of June to gain some hydrogeological experience alongside completing her university studies, and we look forward to welcoming her officially in September where she will begin her career as a Hydrogeologist. Prior to joining, Hannah completed a BSc in Environmental Sciences at University of Glasgow and is currently working towards completing an MSc in Hydrogeology at the University of Strathclyde. During her masters and undergraduate degree, Hannah has participated in various fieldwork activities where she developed an in-depth understanding of applied hydrology, soil analysis and mapping techniques.
By Rachael Plant July 8, 2025
Our team just keeps on growing and we are delighted to welcome Rob Pickersgill as our newest member! Rob joined us at the end of June, bringing extensive experience across both hydrology and civil engineering, with a particular focus on hydraulic modelling, Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs), and Discharge Impact Assessments. Rob's academic background stems from the University of Nottingham, where he completed a MEng in Engineering, followed by an MSC in Global Urban Development and Planning at the University of Manchester. Rob joins our specialist surface water team and will be based at the RSK Group office in Bristol, providing hydrological services to a range of projects for our diverse client base, primarily within the development sector.
By Rachael Plant June 17, 2025
Desertification and drought are two of the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century. Exacerbated by climate change, the devastating effects of both can be felt across the globe, with an estimated 40% of the world's population impacted by water scarcity events. As global temperatures continue to rise, and severe weather events increase, regions across the globe face the potential for increased frequency and severity of droughts, often progressing rapidly and unexpectedly. As of 29th May this year, a drought was officially declared in parts of the UK, having experienced the driest start to Spring in over 130 years. Whilst the recent rainfall at the start of June has helped to stabilise concerns, uncertainty for the months ahead still remain. How is the UK landscape affected by drought?
Show More