28 May 2026
Image description: John Deere tractor towing a slurry tanker. Photo by Mirko Fabian on Unsplash Years of river protection effort under review The Welsh government has signalled it will unwind the ban on spreading muck between mid-October and January, a rule introduced specifically to prevent slurry being washed into rivers during winter rainfall. Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience […]
28 May 2026
Image description: A winding river flows through a forested valley in autumn. The image was taken in Symonds Yat, Ross-on-Wye, UK. Photo by Rob Wingate on Unsplash A rights of nature approach The Wye’s whole catchment has been formally acknowledged as a living ecosystem in what supporters call a UK first. Launched at the Hay-on-Wye literary […]
21 May 2026
Image description: a person emerging from a pool of water, with their back to the camera. Photo by Chris on Unsplash A landmark moment for river swimming The first designated bathing water area on the River Thames in London has officially opened for the bathing season, as one of 13 new monitored swimming sites […]
21 May 2026
Image description: Fungi growing on a tree stump with a waterfall in the background. Image by Christoph Schütz from Pixabay The winners of the sixth Water Breakthrough Challenge have been announced, with 19 pioneering projects set to receive a share of £58 million from Ofwat’s Water Innovation Fund. The Challenge seeks to transform how the water […]
14 May 2026
Image description: Close-up of wastewater treatment. Image credit: Pixabay. A significant local commitment Southern Water has announced a £42m programme of infrastructure works targeting sewage spills, storm overflows and pollution incidents across Folkestone and Hythe in Kent. The investment, unveiled at a public event in Folkestone this past week, will focus on wastewater treatment […]
14 May 2026
Image description: Water droplet falling from a tap. Image credit, Pixabay. A sector losing the confidence of its customers Two reports published in the last week by the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) together paint a troubling picture of a sector haemorrhaging public trust. The watchdog’s annual Water Matters survey, which has tracked […]
14 May 2026
Image description: The Royal Coronation Crown Isolated on a Black Background The UK Government has confirmed plans to introduce a new Clean Water Bill as part of the legislative programme outlined during the King’s Speech, signalling what ministers describe as a major overhaul of water regulation, environmental protection and infrastructure investment across the UK […]
06 May 2026
Image description: an underwater seagrass meadow. A warning from “underwater forests” New research has found that sewage and agricultural pollution in rivers is having an “alarming” impact on marine invertebrate life in Britain’s seagrass meadows. The study, carried out by Project Seagrass and Swansea University, examined 16 sites along the British coastline affected to […]
