Bathing water classifications for 2021 show that 99% of bathing waters in England have passed water quality standards following testing by the Environment Agency at over 400 designated sites. Of these, 94.7% of beaches and inland waters gained an ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ rating while 4.3% achieved the minimum ‘Sufficient’ rating. This compares with 98.3% passing […]

Read More

How to regulate better after Brexit: Think differently, speak softly and carry a bigger stick Environment Agency Chief Executive Sir James Bevan’s speech at a Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum conference on future environmental standards. From the Guardian Staff blow whistle on Environment Agency that ‘no longer deters polluters’ Exclusive: Officers say cuts and […]

Read More

Interview with Emma Howard Boyd in the ever-exciting Civil Service World. Breaking records and battling for better water quality – Environment Agency’s Emma Howard Boyd reflects on 2021 2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The EA chair tells […]

Read More

Link to press release Link to Environment Agency’s climate adaptation report The climate emergency can only be successfully tackled through greater focus on adapting to the inevitable climate impacts that we are already seeing, the Environment Agency has warned today (13 October) as it urged world leaders to step up to that challenge at COP26. […]

Read More

The CaBA Chalk Stream Restoration Group has launched its first Chalk Stream Strategy – which calls for chalk streams in England to be given enhanced environmental status. Why do we need a chalk-stream restoration strategy?  Chalk streams are among the most biodiverse of the UK’s rivers. Nearly all the world’s chalk streams are in England and they […]

Read More

From Defra The Government has unveiled proposals to improve water quality and regulate activities that affect water supplies which are intended to: modernise the system of licensing water abstraction – when water is taken from the environment for use in farming, food manufacturing and public water supplies – by giving businesses and other licence holders […]

Read More