Conclusion 23

Around 85% of the world’s chalk streams are in England and provide valuable habitats and ecosystems. The aquifers (underground layers of rock that hold groundwater) that feed these streams also provide drinking water for the hundreds of thousands of people that live in the region. Last year the Rivers Trust, and others, published the “Chalk Streams 40 C&AG’s Report, para 3.13 41 Qq 85, 86 42 Q61 43 C&AG’s Report, para 3.17 44 Qq 78–80 45 C&AG’s Report, para 3.19 46 Qq 31–32, 80 47 Q 81 48 Q81 14 Water supply and demand management in Crisis” report. The Environment Agency explained that the needs of the environment must be balanced with the needs of the people and that they must have regards for both. To do so they must stop unsustainable amounts of water being taken from the environment.49