03 Jul 2024

Last week, The Guardian reported that “hours before its shareholders U-turned on plans to pump emergency funding” the Thames Water board had approved the payment of a £150 million dividend to intermediate parent company Kemble Water Eurobond. On Tuesday this week, the matter was discussed on the Today programme, with Ofwat denying it had agreed […]

03 Jul 2024

Watershed Investigations has published the Watershed Pollution Map, revealing “a huge range of potential pollution sources that can harm rivers, lakes, groundwater, coasts and more”. It shows: river, lake and groundwater health bathing water health damaged and protected waters sewage dumping chemical pollution urban and road pollution substances being discharged into waters years of Environment […]

03 Jul 2024

A park drainage system will be created to absorb run-off water pollution from one of Brighton’s busiest roads. Experts are analysing the site at Wild Park, in Moulsecoomb, before the main groundwork starts in August. The £1.79 million project comprises four shallow wetlands which will hold water during heavy rainfall, filtering out pollution from nearby […]

03 Jul 2024

A boil notice remains in place for customers in the Higher Brixham, Southdown, Upton Manor and St Mary’s supply area, who are advised to continue to boil their drinking water before consuming it. South West Water last week lifted the boil notice for some affected customers. Properties in the Kingswear, Noss Marina, Hillhead Park and […]

02 Jul 2024

Ocean and Coastal Futures (OCF) brought together leading fishing industry representatives for another live online event which provided an opportunity to discuss the priorities that a new UK Government could consider. Panellists highlighted what they would like to see from a new government. It was an opportunity to weigh up what difference the general election result […]

02 Jul 2024

A ban on the dirtiest and most climate-damaging fuel for ships has come into effect in Arctic waters. Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) is a tar-like, thick but relatively cheap oil that is widely used in shipping around the world, especially tankers, the BBC reported. However, HFO is particularly damaging in the Arctic, where the black […]

02 Jul 2024

NatureScot and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) have completed a count of burrows on the Isle of May National Nature Reserve (NNR) in the Firth of Forth, a protected and internationally important habitat for seabirds. Based on their all-island count this summer, scientists estimate there are around 52,000 occupied puffin burrows, compared […]

02 Jul 2024

The Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government have released a report based on the returns of an annual survey questionnaire sent to all active authorised shellfish farming businesses in Scotland. Statistics on employment, production and value of shellfish from Scottish shellfish farms are presented.   Photo: Andy Castille Summary In 2023, 10,311 tonnes of common […]