A collaboration to tackle water quality in southern England
Clean Water South (CWS) is a regional, cross-sector collaboration led by the University of Southampton’s Future Towns Innovation Hub, bringing together researchers, industry, regulators, charities and communities to tackle water quality challenges across southern England.
It acts as a platform for action as much as discussion, connecting expertise, aligning priorities, and accelerating solutions to complex, system-wide water issues that no single organisation can solve alone.
Through a series of rapidly evolving workshops, CWS has moved from building a shared understanding of challenges (Clean Water South 1 and 2), to co-producing ideas and shaping policy insights (Clean Water South 3), to designing tangible, collaborative projects and roadmaps for delivery (Clean Water South 4). Our most recent Clean Water South 5 event led us to welcoming Darren Paffey, MP for Southampton Itchen, to launch our collaboration policy brief. The discussion then took a slightly different direction with 'Water wise: from insight to impact', focusing on water awareness, behaviour and action.
Find out more about each workshop on our news page.
Today, CWS it is a growing, action-driven network that turns shared challenges into shared projects and creates the conditions for real, lasting improvements in the region’s water environment. Please get in touch to obtain further information, join the network and to get involved in our upcoming workshops and events: futuretowns@soton.ac.uk.
Clean Water South network – 6 themes identified by the Sector
Download an accessible version of a series of briefings produced by the Clean Water South network over the past year.
Data, Monitoring and Citizen Science
Local water quality monitoring is weakened by inconsistent methods, fragmented data, underfunded regulators, and reliance on self-reporting by water companies. Citizen science can help fill gaps and boost transparency, but only with clear national standards and coordinated data sharing.
Tackling Chemicals and Emerging Pollutants
Emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, PFAS, pesticides, and microplastics threaten water quality, ecosystems, and human health, while often evading regulation and conventional treatment. Clean Water South 3 brings together insights from academia, government, NGOs, communities, and industry to address these challenges.
Integrated Catchment Management: From Silos to Synergy
Integrated catchment management is undermined by fragmented governance, unclear accountability, limited funding, and weak collaboration, leading to inefficiency and community distrust. Centralised data ownership and a holistic, value‑based partnership framework are essential to enable collaboration, innovation, and sustainable water management amid rising pressures.
From Monitoring to Action: Making Data Count
Data quality across the water sector is inconsistent in terms of accuracy, volume, and value, limiting its ability to drive meaningful action. Siloed structures and sector complexity further hinder effective data sharing and use between agencies.
Water demand, access and efficiency in a changing climate
Low water literacy in the UK masks the scale of water scarcity, particularly in Southern England, where climate change is intensifying seasonal supply–demand imbalances. The ecological impacts of over‑abstraction on rivers, aquifers, and rare chalk streams are poorly understood and underappreciated by most water users.
Planning and Road Runoff: Fixing the Broken Links
Road runoff pollution increasingly threatens water quality, biodiversity, and public health, but progress is stalled by fragmented governance, unclear responsibilities, and inconsistent regulation. Tackling the issue requires coordinated monitoring, investment, and a multi‑stakeholder approach combining technical innovation, nature‑based solutions, and strategic planning.