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We invite (local) governments to join the journey towards drinkable rivers: step by step.

Step 1. Minimise chemical use

As our rivers are naturally at the lowest point in our landscapes, everything that happens in that landscape effects the health of our rivers. That’s why pesticides and other chemicals eventually end up in our groundwater and surface water. The journey towards drinkable rivers starts by minimising and preferably eliminating the use of chemicals, like pesticides and insecticides, by urban green space managers and pest control bodies. Ecological techniques to manage green spaces and to fight plagues contribute to drinkable rivers, save costs, support biodiversity and improve climate resilience.

Tip: Communicate about this and inspire inhabitants to do the same in their homes and gardens.

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Step 2. Biodiverse roadside verges

Roadside verges cover a large amount of land and can, if managed ecologically sound, contribute to a wide range of environmental goals: they form natural corridors for plants and animals, improve air quality, sequester carbon, reduce flood risk, capture rainwater and replenish groundwater. All of this is good news for the health of our rivers. You can create biodiverse roadside verges by replacing a section of lawns with meadows or by changing your mowing policy. Mow less, only parts and at different times and remove clippings. This rule of thumb can also be applied in other green spaces.

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Step 3. Rainwater harvesting

Although water is humanity’s most precious resource, we are often not treating it that way. In many countries, rainwater enters the sewage system, becomes polluted before entering our rivers. In stead, whenever and wherever possible, we should design our homes, offices, gardens, parks and urban areas in such a way that rainwater can infiltrate the earth and replenish groundwater. Another option is to capture rainwater and store it to flush our toilets, water our gardens and crops.

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Step 4. Restore and rewild streams and brooks

When working towards a drinkable river, we need to take a watershed approach. Indeed, everything in the watershed — also known as a water catchment — impacts the health of our rivers. Restoring the natural environment of streams and brooks, being the tiny veins of every watershed, are an important step forward. Apart from improving the water quality and contributing to drinkable rivers, this will also help to store water in the soil, retain water in inundated areas and prevent floodings by delaying downstream transport of water and increasing the length of the flow path and slowing the speed and force of the current.

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Step 5. Protect hedgerows and promote planting more

Hedgerows have it all: they are highways and hiding places for animals, they store carbon, control pests, mitigate floods, improve air quality, and strengthen the soil. And in fields where intensive farming takes place and pesticides are sprayed, hedges filter nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, and pesticides that you do not want in the groundwater and surface water. Hedges contribute to a more robust ecosystem that is more balanced. Ultimately, all waters benefit from this.

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Step 6. Actively support food forests

Industrial agriculture is a major user and polluter of freshwater. So if your (local) government wants to contribute to drinkable rivers, you need to take a serious look at the way food is being produced. There is an exciting movement of innovative, future-proof ways of producing food that contribute to drinkable rivers, including food forests. A food forest is a forest designed by humans with a high diversity of species, parts of which serve as food for humans.
A food forest improves biodiversity and strengthens the soil. As a result, food forests have a greater water storage capacity, provide a sponge effect and are, therefore, much more resistant to drought. Another good thing about food forests: no irrigation is required once the plantings are established. Indeed, drinkable rivers love edible forests.

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Step 7. Actively promote healthy plant-based diets

Intensive livestock farming takes up almost a quarter of all our scarce freshwater resources and causes serious water pollution. At the same time, 4 billion (!) people around the world suffer from severe water scarcity at least one month per year. Let’s connect the dots and take a major step towards drinkable rivers by supporting the societal shift to a plant-based diet.

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