London is linked by over 600km of waterways, yet none of these 41 rivers is considered in good overall condition, and they are certainly not safe to swim in. Often polluted by misconnected sewers and road runoff, their poor water quality makes it difficult for nature to thrive and leaves them depleted of biodiversity.
The launch of the Mayor’s Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan sets out an ambitious 10-year strategy for how London can turn the tide on decades of underinvestment and mismanagement. The plan aims to make our rivers places we can all enjoy, with waters where nature can thrive and people can safely swim. The plan sets out a shared vision for London’s waterways, bringing together organisations, communities and local government around a common goal.
The Mayor’s Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan sets out 48 actions and 17 goals under four themes, to be delivered by 2036; covering water quality, nature, access, and inclusion and engagement.
Improving access and inclusion
We’re proud to be part of the coalition of nature and environment groups and organisations, coming together with each of London’s 33 Boroughs, catchment partnerships, civil society, businesses, the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London, who will look to play their part in delivering cleaner water for all Londoners.
A mere 28% of Londoners say that they feel moderately or highly connected to London’s waterways. In support of the Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan we’ll be helping to convene two groups on improving access and inclusion;
1. Delivering waterway education programmes to help more school students learn about waterways, climate and nature.
Educating young people to be more aware of and engaged with waterways will help build knowledge and connection to London’s blue spaces. This action will focus on building understanding of waterways, climate, nature and local history. The programme will include in-school sessions and visits, and will be designed with over a dozen partners working in education. It will be targeted towards schools and communities with limited access to blue and green spaces.
2. Set up community partnership networks to support better collaboration between local groups, boroughs, landowners and agencies.
Partnership working is key to increasing collaboration and involvement across London’s waterways.This action will set up a partnership network in 10 strategic locations to increase collaboration between local groups, boroughs, landowners and agencies. Local groups involved in waterways engagement will be invited to regular meetings to share information, identify joint priorities and coordinate activity. The network will help amplify existing work and create new opportunities, as well as links with London’s catchment partnerships.
Funding community-led projects
London National Park City is here to make London greener (and bluer), healthier, and wilder in ways that everyone can support every day. Through our volunteer Rangers, we support local communities to take the lead on local nature recovery and connection in their own streets and neighbourhoods.
Over the next few months we’ll increase the number of Rangers with rivers and waterways experience who can deliver activities on rivers, waterways, and wider water and flood protection projects across London, engaging new Londoners with their local Rivers through arts, walks, citizen science, river clean-ups, restoration projects and more.
In direct support of these ‘River Rangers’, we recently received funding through the Greenroots fund to extend our Small Grants programme for two more years. In 2025 we re-distributed 113 small grants to Ranger and community-led projects in 23 Boroughs.
This new funding will allow us to support over 400 funded small grants projects in 2026 and 2027; and at least one third of these projects will be related to rivers and waterways, including projects delivering citizen science and monitoring, river clean-ups, rainwater harvesting, permaculture, water-saving for community gardens, and flood risk reduction.
Bold actions required
Restoring London’s rivers is a daunting but urgent and necessary task. The 10-year timeframe set out in the Mayor’s Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan recognises the scale of the challenge and sets out many of the steps required to make progress in the face of myriad challenges.
We urge the Mayor and all stakeholders to go faster and further. To fully recognise the efforts of the River Guardians and Catchment Partnerships who have been leading the way in recent years, who have proven how powerful collaboration and community stewardship are to securing the long-term transformation of our neglected rivers – to be bluer, healthier, and wilder.
