30 Jan 2024

The Times reports that Defra ministers have told water company bosses they will no longer “mark their own homework” on whether they are illegally polluting rivers, in a shift in how the sector is regulated. Private water companies have to run checks to ensure they are meeting permits issued by the Environment Agency about how […]

30 Jan 2024

Households would be willing to pay up to £40 a year more on their water bill to use nature instead of man-made materials to improve river water quality and reduce the risk of flooding. A study by the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) explored people’s appetite for water companies to pursue nature-based approaches to tackle some […]

30 Jan 2024

The Environment Agency (EA) has opened a consultation on charge proposals for water quality permits. It would see charges increase significantly, especially for water companies. The EA says it is seeking to recover the full cost of services through charges. The EA has our charges to address changes in the cost of delivering services, inflationary […]

30 Jan 2024

Interesting article that considers deterioration of ageing pipes, the position of World Health Organisation and research in the UK and across the world. Hundreds of thousands of miles of pipes made from asbestos cement deliver drinking water to people around the world, but are reaching the end of their lifespan and starting to degrade. Scientists […]

30 Jan 2024

The Guardian reports that testing by citizen scientists of a beck that feeds into Windermere has revealed a huge loss in invertebrate life in the lake in Cumbria that campaigners say is being caused by sewage discharges. Save Windermere and WildFish carried out testing for invertebrates in Cunsey Beck, a site of special scientific interest […]

30 Jan 2024

Defra has published documents showing the catchment areas wholly or partly in England which have been designated as sensitive under section 96C of the Water Industry Act. The documents include the designation notice and a map of the sensitive catchment areas. They have been designated due to the habitats site related to the catchment being […]

30 Jan 2024

Businesses and marine organisations in Scotland’s coastal communities will benefit from £14 million in grants from the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24. A total of 91 projects, with grants ranging from just under £1,000 up to £1.6 million, will support innovation and sustainable practices for the marine economy, including work to reduce carbon emissions. Projects include: […]