A legal claim has been issued against six UK water companies who are facing legal collective actions for allegedly abusing their dominant market position by underreporting the number of times they cause pollution incidents and overcharging customers as a result. The case is covered in the Guardian which says the claim on behalf of 20 […]
Observer investigation reveals the shocking state of the country’s protected freshwater sites of special scientific interest. More than 90% of freshwater habitats on England’s most precious rivers are in unfavourable condition, blighted by farming pollution, raw sewage and water abstraction, an Observer investigation reveals. None of the approximately 40 rivers with protected habitats in England […]
Worrying piece in the Guardian, suggesting that messages about recent improvements and massive investment are not getting through to the public Almost a quarter of the UK’s sea swimmers may not take a dip in the ocean this year because of sewage dumping by water companies, according to a poll. Sewage was dumped into waters […]
Across England’s 189,700 miles of road, runoff surface water polluted with microplastics, trace metals, hydrocarbons and other organic pollutants enters our rivers every time it rains. CIWEM has been awarded a grant from the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund to illustrate the scale, nature and impact caused by this pollution, and offer potential solutions. The pollution […]
Up to 5.5 billion people worldwide could be exposed to polluted water by 2100, a modelling study has found. Researchers mapped surface water quality under three different visions of future climate and socio-economic development. In every case, sub-Saharan Africa was shown to be among the worst-affected areas. The predictions, published in Nature Water on 17 July1, offer […]
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 […]