The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has joined forces with the water industry to call on the government to improve plans for the protection of England's water and wetland environments.

Concerns have been raised over the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) draft River Basin Management Plans, which were published in December 2008 and proposes that water customer-funded investment is used to meet new water quality targets. The RSPB, along with Water UK - the representative body for UK water companies - and the Consumer Council for Water, have now submitted an open letter to environment secretary Hilary Benn to ensure more is done to develop sustainable water management methods.

Graham Wynne, RSPB chief executive, said: "With this letter we are making it clear that conservationists, the water industry and its customers all need Government to find the most sustainable ways forward and protect our rivers, wetlands and wildlife by removing pollution at its source, before damage is done. "Agriculture, industry and local government all need to play their part and the Water Framework Directive provides the ideal opportunity to set the agenda for sustainable rivers and wetlands."

Dame Yve Buckland, chair of the Consumer Council for Water, added: "It is not acceptable to load the costs of cleaning up the rivers and wetlands on to water customers. Those responsible for polluting the water environment should be called to account and made to take responsibility for its sustainable management." DEFRA is currently considering the results of a public consultation looking at the Water Framework Directive, which aims to provide guidelines for the management of England's wetland environment.