The Environment Agency’s ‘Regulating for people, the environment and growth, 2021’ report has been published and highlights the organisation’s approach to regulation and the work it is doing to ensure regulation meets their ambition to create better places.

In the Foreword by the Chief Executive of the Agency, the stark message was that in 2021, the environmental performance of England’s water and sewerage companies was the worst seen for years.

Sir James Bevan went on to write that ‘serious pollution incidents increased to their highest total since 2013, while monitors on storm overflows – installed at our insistence – are highlighting that untreated sewage flows into our rivers all too frequently.’

99% of bathing waters in England met or exceeded the minimum quality standard 

The report goes on to say that the work that the Environment Agency is doing is driving improvements in water quality and availability. Sir James said that ‘through changes to abstraction licences, we have removed the risk of the potential abstraction of 1.7 trillion litres of water from the environment. Serious pollution incidents recorded have halved since 2000. And a record 99% of bathing waters in England met or exceeded the minimum quality standard in 2021. The government has accepted recommendations made in the Independent Reservoir Safety Review (May 2021) and announced on 20 July 2022 that it will take forward strengthening the reservoir safety regime and modernising the Reservoirs Act 1975. This will include strengthening the Environment Agency’s regulatory role.’

Sir James Bevan to leave CEO role

The report is published days after news broke that Sir James Bevan is stepping down as chief executive of the Environment Agency after seven years in the role. Bevan was appointed to his current role in late November 2015 and he will hold that position until the 31 March 2023.

Prior to joining the Environment Agency, he held various senior roles in government, including that of the British High Commissioner in India and chief operating officer at the UK Foreign Office. 

EA Chief welcomes fine on Southern Water 

In further statements, the head of the EA said that ‘we welcome the record £90 million fine imposed on Southern Water for widespread pollution last July – a clear signal that this is not what we or the public expect from companies whose job it is to treat sewage and protect the environment. For those who willingly disregard the law, we need to see strong deterrents or companies will simply consider this the cost of doing business.’

For further information read the ‘Regulating for people, the environment and growth, 2021’  report here.