18 Dec 2025
Image description: aerial view of Photo by Patrick Federi on Unsplash The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has identified significant failures in how the government and regulators oversee untreated sewage discharges, warning that current practices may not comply with environmental law. In a series of reports published following an extensive investigation, the watchdog concluded […]
18 Dec 2025
Description: A hand holding a white pencil and filling out a multiple-choice exam paper. A yellow post-it note and blue pencil sharpener are also in frame. Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash Regulators and the government have announced a significant tightening of oversight for the water industry, introducing mandatory “fit and proper […]
18 Dec 2025
Image description: Aerial view of a green combine harvester harvesting a field. Image by Scott Goodwill on Unsplash The government is facing growing calls to overhaul the laws governing the spreading of treated sewage sludge on agricultural land, following new evidence of widespread public concern regarding food safety and river health. On Tuesday, campaigners […]
27 Nov 2025
Image description: A woman wild swimming in the Lake District. Image by Jaz Blakeston-Petch on Unsplash The Environment Agency has published its 2025 bathing water classifications, showing 87% of England’s 449 designated bathing sites are now rated ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. Since last year, the number of “excellent” sites has risen from 289 to 297, […]
20 Nov 2025
Image description: Aerial photo of a water treatment works. Photo by Bob Brewer on Unsplash Castle Water, a bidder for Thames Water, has said it would inject at least an extra £1bn above current rival proposals into the debt-laded utility company. Thames Water, which has 16 million customers, has been at the centre of […]
13 Nov 2025
Image description: Sewage outflow pipe pouring out into a river. Photo by Jacob Antony on Unsplash Wessex Water has been ordered to pay £11m over wastewater failures and told to spend it on improvements to reduce sewage spills and other measures. The company reportedly proposed the package to avoid a £10m penalty after an […]
