Carlsberg Britvic launches water replenishment partnership with Severn Rivers Trust

(by Karma Loveday)

Beers and soft drinks giant Carlsberg Britvic has launched a landmark ten-year partnership with The Rivers Trust to invest in nature-based projects to help restore rivers, wetlands and floodplains near its Rugby manufacturing site. The projects will be delivered by Severn Rivers Trust.

The partnership will support the delivery of multiple projects across the Warwickshire Avon catchment, 15 miles from the site, including on local rivers such as the Leam, and by helping to reconnect and enhance floodplains, create new wetland habitats and improve the landscape's ability to store and slow water.

The locations have been selected due to their position and significance within the wider river system, poor ecological condition (particularly for fish and invertebrate populations), and position upstream of several communities vulnerable to flooding. The first project will begin in October, reconnecting the River Alne with its natural floodplain and creating a network of storage wetlands that will help slow, store and manage water more naturally across the landscape. This will reduce flood risk for downstream communities including Henley-in-Arden and Alcester, while enhancing biodiversity.

The partnership marks Carlsberg Group’s first water replenishment project in Europe and supports the Group's global commitment to replenish 100% of water consumed at production sites in high water-risk areas by 2032, while improving water efficiency and helping to protect and restore the ecosystems on which communities, agriculture and industry depend. 

Rugby, which consumes approximately one million m³ of water per year, has been identified as a high-risk site under Carlsberg Group's water risk assessment, which looks at both site-specific factors, such as production scale and future growth expectations, and watershed conditions, including water availability, water quality, regulation and community-related water risks.