Thames Water announces over £145,000 award in drive to restore water vole habitats and boost biodiversity on the River Brent

• Through Thames Water’s River Health and Community Fund, the Enhance the River Grant will fund a project to restore a section the River Brent by improving habitats and boosting biodiversity.
• Water voles play a crucial ecological role for rivers and wetlands and are currently classified as endangered in the UK.
• The project is being delivered by environmental charity Thames21 and Ealing Council, in partnership with Citizen Zoo and Ealing Wildlife Group.
• The project is also supported by the Mayor of London through funding for the West London Regional Park

Thames Water has awarded £146,700 through its Enhance the River Grant to a project that will restore habitats and boost biodiversity along the River Brent, helping to create the conditions needed for water voles to return to the catchment.

The project, called ‘People, River, Voles: A Shared Restoration Journey on the River Brent’, is supported by the Mayor of London and will see environmental charity Thames21 and Ealing Council work with Citizen Zoo and Ealing Wildlife Group to improve a 12-kilometre stretch of the River Brent. In turn, creating a better-connected habitat for water voles and a healthier, more accessible river for wildlife and local communities.

Although this stretch of the River Brent supports valuable wetland and woodland habitats, its ecological health has been affected by historic modifications, invasive species, pollution and habitat fragmentation.

Practical restoration work will create and reconnect habitats, expand reedbeds, reprofile riverbanks, remove obsolete structures and improve habitat diversity along the river.

Further work will manage invasive species and install floating reedbeds to support wildlife and strengthen ecological resilience.

Once widespread across Britain, the endangered water vole plays an important role in maintaining healthy rivers and wetland ecosystems. Its return to the Brent would benefit the wider catchment.

Water voles act as ecosystem engineers: their grazing helps manage riverside vegetation and creates opportunities for a wider variety of plants to grow.

Their burrow networks also turn and aerate the soil, supporting soil health and creating varied conditions for other wildlife.

Paul Hampton, Healthy Rivers Community Manager at Thames Water said: "We're proud to support this project to restore habitats, improve biodiversity and help create the conditions needed for water voles to return to the River Brent.

"We recognise that pollution, including from our wastewater network, can impact river health and that we have an important role to play in improving the environment. That's why we're undertaking the biggest upgrade to our wastewater infrastructure in more than 150 years, helping to create a more resilient network while protecting and improving rivers across our region.

"Working in partnership with organisations like Thames21 and Ealing Council is vital to helping nature recover and ensuring rivers like the Brent can thrive for generations to come."

Chris Coode, CEO at environmental charity Thames21, said:  “This project will give water voles a real chance to return to the River Brent. By restoring natural river processes, creating richer bankside vegetation and improving water quality we’re transforming this constrained stretch of river into a thriving corridor for wildlife.

“Importantly, we’re also working with the local community to give people the opportunity to help restore, protect and care for this valuable natural place. Together with our partners we’re creating a healthier, more resilient River Brent for both people and wildlife, laying the foundations for the return of one of Britan’s most iconic river animals.”

Cllr Lauren Wall, Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities, Ealing Council said: “This project is a wonderful example of how the Regional Park can benefit both people and nature. By improving habitats along the River Brent and supporting the return of water voles, we're helping to create a greener, more biodiverse environment while giving residents more opportunities to connect with the natural world on their doorstep. It's a positive step towards a healthier river and a thriving Regional Park for future generations.”

The River Brent project forms part of the wider West London Regional Park programme and will work closely with residents and community groups to improve habitats, increase ecological diversity and strengthen people’s connection with the river.

The West London Regional Park will connect more than 500 hectares of parks, rivers, canals, wetlands and routes across the boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow, creating a joined-up landscape for nature, climate resilience, recreation and healthier communities. The programme is backed by £1,459,696 from the Mayor of London and £999,595 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund through the Nature Towns and Cities programme and is being developed by a partnership including Ealing Council, Hounslow Council, the Greater London Authority, the National Trust, the Environment Agency and the Canal & River Trust.

The project also supports the ambitions of the Mayor of London’s Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan, published in July 2026, which sets out a 10-year approach to reducing pollution, reviving nature and improving access to London’s waterways.

A key long-term ambition is to support the return of water voles to the River Brent. The restoration works will create the sheltered habitats and refuge areas needed to support any future reintroduction.

 

Notes to editors:

• More information on Enhance The River Fund
• More information on Smarter Water Catchments
• More information on the West London Regional Park
• More information on the Mayor of London’s Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan
• More information on Nature Towns and Cities

 

Statement from Ealing Wildlife Group:

Dr Sean McCormack, Conservation & Rewilding Officer, Ealing Wildlife Group said:
“We’ve been speaking about restoring water voles to the Brent for many years in Ealing Wildlife Group, along with many other community groups who care for our river. Following a successful programme to restore Harvest Mice to the borough’s meadows and wetlands, and a fantastic collaboration with Citizen Zoo, Horsenden and Ealing Council on the Ealing Beaver Project, it’s time for water voles to be reinstated as part of our local fauna. Like our other projects, our wonderful community volunteers will be invited to get involved.”

 

Statement from Citizen Zoo:

Elliot Newton, Director of Rewilding at Citizen Zoo said:

''Citizen Zoo has been working to restore the UK’s fastest-declining mammal, the water vole, since 2017, spearheading a reintroduction project on the River Hogsmill in southwest London. We are delighted to now bring this work to the River Brent in Ealing, where water voles have been declared locally extinct. While human activities have contributed to their decline, we have seen that when communities, conservation organisations and local authorities work together, we can reverse these losses and bring nature back to our towns and cities. We’re incredibly excited to work with the fantastic communities across the Brent catchment to identify opportunities for habitat restoration and, ultimately, help water voles thrive here once again .”

 

About Thames Water

Thames Water is the UK’s biggest water and wastewater services provider, providing 2.6 billion litres of drinking water and safely removing 4.3 billion litres of wastewater every day.  Our people provide essential services around the clock to 16 million customers across London, the Thames Valley, and surrounding areas.

In 2025, we started the biggest upgrade to our network in 150 years, which will see a record-breaking investment of over £20 billion, fixing leaks, reducing pollution and protecting water quality, over the next five years. In 2025/26, we invested £2.7 billion, and we will continue to spend wisely on improving resilience, service, and efficiency, as well as provide more support for customers in vulnerable circumstances.

We also have additional responsibilities to society and the natural environment. What we do and how we do it delivers significant public value, which is why we have ambitious plans to self-generate more of our own power, reduce our carbon emissions and increase biodiversity across our sites. 

To find out more about the work of Thames Water listen to our podcast   

About Thames21  

Thames21 is an independent environmental charity that restores rivers across London and the Thames Basin to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis, whilst also connecting communities with their local rivers, inspiring them to enjoy and look after them over the long term.  

www.thames21.org.uk | Registered Charity No. 1103997 

About Ealing Council

Ealing Council has three guiding values: community for everyone, growth across all 7 towns, and power in your hands. For up-to-date news and features from Ealing Council visit www.aroundealing.com