From 2025–2030, we are running a Catchment Fund, providing grants in our priority catchments for measures that help protect water quality at source.
Priority catchments
1. Brewer Street groundwater catchment
SES Water has two priority catchments for the 2025–2030 period, where we are carrying out work to improve water quality and offering our Catchment Fund.
2. Eden surface water catchment
This scheme, covering the entire River Eden Surface Water Catchment, will work with farmers to implement measures that can help reduce concentrations of autumn applied herbicides (and specifically the cereal herbicide flufenacet) in the River Eden and Bough Beech reservoir.
SES Catchment Fund
As part of our five-year water quality scheme (2025–2030), SES Water is running a Catchment Fund in our two priority catchments. The Fund provides financial support each year for measures that can benefit water quality, with a particular focus on addressing groundwater nitrate and reducing pesticides in surface water.
This financial year, we are running two initiatives:
1. Education Grant - up to £1,000 per applicant
Funding of up to £1,000 per applicant is available for formal training courses or professional development (CPD) opportunities where there is a clear link to protecting water quality.
This is available to all farmers and farm workers working within the Brewer Street and River Eden catchments.
2. Flexible Funding - up to £5,000 per farm
Up to £5,000 per farm is available for measures that provide tangible benefits for water quality.
The funding is flexible and can support measures aimed at addressing groundwater nitrate or reducing pesticides in surface water. This could include farm infrastructure improvements, precision pesticide or fertiliser application technology, nutrient management plans, soil testing, herbal leys and measures to build soil health.
If you have an idea for something that could work on your farm, get in touch and we can discuss how we might be able to assist.
How to apply
You can apply for the Catchment Fund programme by filling in the forms below.