15 Apr 2026

Image description: Aerial view of Ilkley wetland project run by Yorkshire Water. Image credit: Yorkshire Water. Work has officially begun on a nature-based wetland in Ilkley, marking the next chapter of a £60 million investment to improve water treatment and the water quality of the river Wharfe.  The project forms part of Yorkshire Water’s largest ever environmental […]

15 Apr 2026

Image description: People walking past the Palace of Westminster in the rain. Photo by Heidi Fin on Unsplash Calls for a referendum on water company ownership  Two campaigners who prominently featured in the recent Channel 4 docudrama Dirty Business have launched a petition calling for a referendum on water company ownership.   As reported in the BBC, Ash Smith and […]

15 Apr 2026

Image description: Water flowing from a concrete pipe. Photo by Abdullah Wafiyy on Unsplash. The trade association for the water industry, Water UK, has published its assessment of whether water companies are able to spend enough on maintaining their infrastructure.   New analysis presented at a conference of engineers, economists and government policy officials in London last month suggests the answer may be […]

15 Apr 2026

Image description: View from Sabrina Bridge over River Severn in Worcester. Photo by Darren Tolley on Unsplash New figures released by the Environment Agency (EA) show £8.5 million has been collected from water companies through Enforcement Undertakings (EUs) over the last financial year – the highest annual total on record.  The EA says these EUs will be reinvested directly into repairing harm to rivers and habitats.  What […]

14 Apr 2026

Photo by James Newcombe The All Party Parliamentary Group on Fisheries has launched a call for evidence to support the development of a wide-ranging Action Plan for a Thriving and Sustainable UK Fishing Industry, with submissions invited from anyone with a stake in the sector. The deadline for responses is 23:59 on 20 May 2026. What the […]

14 Apr 2026

Photo by Nik Shuliahin The third and final preparatory commission for the High Seas Treaty concluded on 2 April at the United Nations headquarters in New York, wrapping up two weeks of intensive negotiations that the High Seas Alliance described as delivering meaningful progress, but also leaving several significant issues unresolved ahead of the treaty’s first Conference […]

14 Apr 2026

Photo by NOAA The government announced a £50 million Plymouth Defence Growth Deal on 9 April, cementing the city’s position as a leader in maritime autonomous systems and promising hundreds of new skilled jobs across the South West. The investment directly responds to commitments in the Strategic Defence Review to expand the UK’s autonomous maritime expertise, and […]

14 Apr 2026

Photo by Johannes Heel A pioneering project to deploy floating wetlands in Portsmouth’s coastal waters has been launched by the University of Portsmouth in partnership with Southern Water, the BBC reports, with researchers describing it as a practical, scalable response to the widespread loss of essential coastal ecosystems. The project will see specially designed floating rafts […]