The Guardian reports that a loophole in the UK’s pollution legislation allows farmers to pollute rivers by spreading excess manure, an investigation has found, with those acting unlawfully not facing any action in most cases. The government introduced new farming rules for water in 2018, aimed at cleaning up England’s waterways. However, after lobbying from […]
Those that pollute the environment will face unlimited penalties under new legislation announced by the government. The current limit of £250,000 on variable monetary penalties that the Environment Agency and Natural England can impose directly on operators will be lifted, following a government consultation which received widespread public support. This will offer regulators a quicker method of […]
From BBC news Fears supplying water to thousands of new homes “will pose a significant risk” have led to the first planning objections from the Environment Agency. It is the first time it has objected to new housing over water concerns. The planned homes are all in the south of Cambridgeshire, which could see more […]
Industry body Water UK has apologised on behalf of water and sewage companies in England for not acting quickly enough on sewage spills. To put things right, the industry plans to make the largest ever investment in storm overflows as part of a major programme to reduce spills into rivers and seas. In addition, a […]
The government has announced that its target to reduce storm overflows will be enshrined in law. The Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, published in August 2022, set out stringent targets to protect people and the environment, backed up by up to £56 billion capital investment – the largest infrastructure programme in water company history. But opposition […]
Largest ever fine imposed for environmental offences in Devon and Cornwall as South West Water is told by court ‘incidents of pollution will no longer be tolerated’ South West Water (SWW) has been fined more than £2 million for a series of environmental offences across Devon and Cornwall spanning a period of four years. It […]
Defra is seeking views on the government’s proposals to enhance the monitoring of storm overflows and final effluent discharges into watercourses. This consultation closes on 23 May 2023. Consultation description The Environment Act 2021 introduced requirements for sewerage undertakers to: monitor sewerage assets and the impact they have on their local environment, and publish data […]
From The Guardian Ecologists say some bodies of water may already have passed the tipping points from which they may never recover As David Klee nosed his boat out into the channels of Whangamarino, he saw the birds were dying. Hundreds were already dead, floating, the sheen of their feathers dulling in the scum near […]