Our water stressed area depends on our 8 chalk streams - they sustain our countryside. They are England's rainforests and incredibly rare.
I've already secured greater protection for our chalk streams from major development, working with Sir Oliver Heald KC and Lord Trenchard, but we have to keep going.
As a result of action we've taken, 100% of storm overflows are now monitored - it was just 7% in 2010. No other country in the world has achieved that, and by shining a light on the problem, we can hold those responsible to account.
I'll make sure our water companies, local councils and developers improve our sewer system, build sustainable drainage, and new housing uses water efficiently.
I believe in the partnership between generations – that we hold our environment in trust for our descendants - and I'm proud of what has been achieved.
Conservation is at our core from Eden’s Clean Air Act, to Thatcher sounding the alarm on climate change, to the scaling of renewables since 2010 from 7% to over 40%, the creation of the Blue Belt around the UK’s Overseas Territories to protect our marine wildlife, and leading the way on tackling plastic pollution.