05 Jan 2021

From the Call for Evidence The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) is launching an inquiry into water quality in rivers. The EAC has previously inquired into nitrate pollution so this inquiry intends to focus on the water industry and urban diffuse pollution. Water quality has implications across the whole ecological system, from plant life to fish stocks to […]

29 Sep 2020

The Rivers Trust put out a positive message to celebrate World Rivers Day last week HEADING: OUR RIVERS ARE WONDERFUL – DON’T GIVE UP ON THEM A message from our CEO on World Rivers Day After dispiriting news on the state of UK’s rivers last week, the Rivers Trust CEO Mark Lloyd looks to lift […]

19 May 2020

The EU Bathing Waters Directive, includes a requirement to monitor water quality at locations popular with large numbers of bathers and to take steps to improve water quality where the necessary standards are not met. This year the Scottish Government consider that restrictions on movement and physical distancing guidance need to be taken into account […]

13 Jan 2020

From Environment Analyst Roads where heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) regularly apply their brakes are often the worst affected, around junctions, roundabouts and traffic lights. A new study has highlighted road runoff pollution as one of the main sources of damage to London’s waterways. The cause is spills of oil, diesel and petrol and particulates from […]

24 Sep 2019

A new report by the World Bank is warning that the world faces an invisible crisis of water quality that is eliminating one-third of potential economic growth in heavily polluted areas and threatening human and environmental well-being. Using new data and methods Quality Unknown: The Invisible Water Crisis shows how a combination of bacteria, sewage, chemicals, […]

01 Aug 2018

This Commons Library Briefing Paper examines water quality in the UK, including EU requirements and potential impacts of Brexit. It sets out some key facts and figures for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, explains how water quality is measured and discusses action being taken by the Government to manage and improve water quality. Water […]

29 May 2018

New ‘State of the Environment’ reports from the Environment Agency have been published, covering: water resources – how much clean water we have available water quality – including rivers, estuaries, coasts and groundwater The reports include status and trends, as well as current and future pressures. According to the water resources report, rivers and wildlife […]

29 May 2018

The European Environment Agency (EEA) reports that 85% of swimming sites across Europe monitored in 2017 met the European Union’s highest and most stringent ‘excellent’ quality standards for waters mostly free from pollutants. The results give a good indication where holiday makers can find the best quality bathing waters this summer. Nearly all 21.801 bathing […]