18 Jun 2026
Image description: The River Thames flowing beneath Tower Bridge. Photo by Pietro De Grandi on Unsplash Researchers at the University of East London (UEL) have launched a study into microplastic pollution in the River Thames to inform environmental policy and water quality decisions. Led by Dr Ria Devereux of UEL’s Sustainability Research Institute, the […]
09 Jun 2026
Photo by Lison Zhao The Environment Agency issued pollution alerts at four Isle of Wight beaches following a sewage release by Southern Water, with bathers warned to stay out of the water at Totland Bay and Colwell Bay on the island’s west coast. Similar warnings were also in place at Gurnard Bay and Ryde. Southern Water attributed […]
05 May 2026
Photo by Bob Brewer Southern Water has pleaded guilty to five pollution offences in north Kent, including discharges of untreated sewage into coastal waters that occurred just weeks after the company was handed what was then the largest criminal fine ever imposed on a water company. The Environment Agency confirmed on 27 April that […]
30 Apr 2026
Image description: Hand water pump pouring out water. Photo by Jainath Ponnala on Unsplash South East Water has lost an appeal against a fine of £76,000 for extracting water from an underground source without the necessary permission from the Environment Agency (EA). For six weeks between May and June 2021, the company illegally took […]
23 Apr 2026
Photo by Martin King on Unsplash United Utilities and the Environment Agency (EA) are going to place two monitoring buoys into Lake Windermere in Cumbria next week, as part of a year-long study to continuously assess the body of water. United Utilities has said the trial would help it and the Environment Agency (EA) […]
15 Apr 2026
Photo by Colby Winfield on Unsplash Following an Environment Agency investigation, United Utilities pleaded guilty to introducing thousands of fish into Bessy Brook, near Bolton, without a permit. The EA says this sentence marks a regulatory milestone as the first time a water company has been sentenced under The Keeping and Introduction of Fish (England and River Esk Catchment Area) […]
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 […]
02 Apr 2026
Image description: Aerial view of a water treatment facility. Photo by Patrick Federi on Unsplash A step change in regulatory scrutiny The Environment Agency (EA) confirmed it has completed over 10,000 inspections of water company assets in the past year, more than double the 4,600 carried out in 2024/25, marking a record level of surveillance. […]
