The Defra Plan for Water: How Contract Cleaning Services Can Help Protect UK Water Quality
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The Defra Plan for Water is a major UK government initiative designed to improve water quality, protect natural ecosystems, and secure long-term water supplies. But what does it mean for contract cleaning services, facilities management, and building owners?
In this article, we explain the Plan for Water, the current state of UK water systems, and how the cleaning industry can play a vital role in reducing pollution — particularly through tackling PFAS chemicals and microplastics.
What you'll learn in this guide
What is The Defra Plan for Water?
Released on 4 April 2023, the Defra Plan for Water outlines how the UK government will deliver cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable water across England.
Under the Environment Act 2021, the government has introduced stronger regulatory powers, increased transparency, and legally binding targets to hold water companies and polluters to account. These actions are supported by the Environmental Improvement Plan, which sets out how water pollution will be reduced over the coming decades.
The Plan focuses on three core goals:
Transforming management of the entire water system
Delivering clean water for people and nature
Securing a plentiful and resilient water supply
What Is the Current State of UK Water?
According to Gov.uk, the UK currently uses around 14 billion litres of water every day — and demand is expected to increase by a further 4 billion litres by 2050.
In regions such as London and the South East, fewer than 5% of rivers and wetlands achieve a “good” ecological status. This highlights the urgent need for action across all industries, including cleaning and facilities management.
What Does ‘Good’ Ecological Status Mean?
A river or waterway is classed as having good ecological status when it meets standards across several key areas:
Ecological health
Chemical quality
Groundwater protection
Bathing water quality
Shellfish and drinking water protection
Condition of protected nature sites
Failure in any of these areas can prevent a water body from achieving “good” status.
Key Actions in the Defra Plan for Water (Relevant to Cleaning Services)
Several actions within the Plan have a direct impact on the cleaning industry:
£1.6 billion investment in water infrastructure to tackle pollution and improve resilience
Restrictions on “forever chemicals” (PFAS) found in rivers and seas
Unlimited penalties for serious water pollution offences
Creation of a Water Restoration Fund, reinvesting fines into environmental improvements
Consultation to ban plastic wet wipes
Increased inspections of water companies funded through higher permit charges
Faster planning approvals for water infrastructure such as reservoirs
These changes make it essential for cleaning companies and building owners to review the products and processes they use.
PFAS in UK Rivers and Seas
Why PFAS Are a Serious Water Pollution Risk
The chemical status of UK water is heavily impacted by PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often referred to as “forever chemicals”.
PFAS are widely used in many everyday products — including cleaning chemicals — and pose long-term risks because they:
Persist in the environment for decades
Move easily between soil and water systems
Contribute to antimicrobial resistance, impacting human health
The government has confirmed that a new UK Chemicals Strategy will introduce PFAS restriction proposals.
What This Means for Cleaning and Facilities Management
Building owners, facilities managers, and contract cleaning providers must understand where PFAS are used and take steps to reduce or eliminate them to avoid future penalties and environmental harm.
PFAS in cleaning products
PFAS may be present in some commonly used cleaning products, including:
Dishwasher detergents
Laundry detergents
Stain removers
Floor waxes and polishes
Degreasers
However, not all cleaning products contain PFAS, and safer alternatives are increasingly available.
PFAS-Free Cleaning Products and Alternatives
There is no single solution, but progress is being made. Many suppliers now offer PFAS-free cleaning chemicals, and innovation is accelerating.
Current PFAS-Free Options Include:
1-Range and Eco-Dose chemicals (PFAS-free)
Most Foremost-branded cleaning chemicals, including floor maintainers
(excluding floor polishes)Chemical-free cleaning systems such as:
Aqueous Ozone
Synbiotic cleaning solutions
We are actively working with existing and new suppliers to identify the best PFAS-free options for our customers.
Microplastics entering the water system
Microplastics enter the water environment from many sources, including:
Microfibres released during clothes washing
Tyre particles
Atmospheric fallout
Personal care products
Although wastewater treatment plants can remove up to 99% of microplastics, even the remaining 1% causes significant environmental damage.
Key Facts About Microplastics:
Smaller than 5mm
Often mistaken for food by aquatic life
Accumulate through the food chain
Ultimately enter the human body
Preventing microplastics at source is critical.
What the UK Government Is Doing About Microplastics
The government is:
Improving understanding of microplastic pollution
Developing methods to measure microplastics and microfibres
Supporting innovation to reduce pollution at source
Planned actions include:
Banning plastic wet wipes, subject to consultation
Supporting the “Bin the Wipe” campaign
Challenging misleading “flushable” labelling
Encouraging washing machine manufacturers to introduce microfibre filters
Plastic-Free Wet Wipes and Cleaning Alternatives
More sustainable alternatives already exist, including:
Bamboo-based wet wipes (e.g. Cheeky Panda)
Paper wiping rolls
Reusable microfibre cloths paired with controlled cleaning solutions
These options give cleaning teams greater control over chemical use while reducing plastic pollution.
How Contract Cleaning Can Support the Defra Plan for Water
The Defra Plan for Water places responsibility on every industry — including cleaning — to reduce pollution and protect water systems. By choosing PFAS-free chemicals, plastic-free consumables, and innovative chemical-free cleaning technologies, contract cleaning services can make a meaningful difference.
Cleaner buildings shouldn’t come at the cost of cleaner rivers.
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