About Us
About the Inland Waterways Association
We are the charity that works to protect and restore the country’s 6,500 miles of inland waterways.
We are passionate about protecting and restoring Britain’s network of canals and navigable rivers for everyone to enjoy.
The waterways are special outdoor places – sometimes tranquil and sometimes bustling – whose unique heritage and habitats are under threat from lack of funding and inconsiderate planning.
We campaign locally and nationally for the waterways – supporting restorations, lobbying parliament, championing regeneration and raising waterways users concerns. We’re also prone to rolling up our sleeves and giving the waterways a bit of TLC.
Our members and volunteers are waterways-lovers from all walks of life who want to preserve and improve the network for future generations.
IWA
How the charity is organised and governed.
Our work
We work to protect and restore the waterways.
Contact us
Get in touch with our team.
Waterways heritage
Our waterways heritage is what makes Britain’s canals and rivers special and it must be actively protected – through the local planning system and sufficient funding – for the future.
Waterways affected by HS2
We’re campaigning to protect canals and rivers from the damaging effects of HS2, especially where the tranquillity of the waterways is under threat.
Waterway underfunding
Hundreds of miles of waterways – along with their unique heritage and habitats – are currently starved of funding and rely on constant lobbying by us to safeguard their future.
Waterway restoration
Restoring the UK’s blue infrastructure – our inherited network of navigable canals and rivers – is good for people and places.
Waterway businesses
The government needs to intervene at the earliest possible opportunity to save this vital sector of the British economy and what could be a core element of the British stay-at-home leisure and holiday sectors in the coming years.
Sustainable boating
We want boating on canals and rivers to be more sustainable and – even though the current overall contribution to UK carbon emissions is very small – we want to help reduce emissions on the waterways.
Love your waterways
Together we can protect and restore our waterways; the UK’s 6,500 miles of canals and rivers need your help.