26 Feb 2026

Image description: Rain drops falling into a shallow pool of water. Photo by reza shayestehpour on Unsplash Despite the South West region experiencing rainfall 62% higher than the national average in 2025, South West Water (SWW) has announced a 17% reduction  in storm overflow use and a 25% in cut spill duration over the past […]

26 Feb 2026

Image description: A brown sewage outflow pipe is embedded in rocks, with water gushing into a body of water. Image by Jacob Antony on Unsplash  Research shared exclusively with the New Statesman reveals Thames Water illegally polluted waterways with raw sewage at least 8,499 times between 2021 and 2025, showing five years of new regulations have failed to address the company’s environmental degradation, according to the […]

26 Feb 2026

Image description: A dead fish lies on its side on the rocky bed of a river. Image by Oguzhan Aydin from Pixabay. Yorkshire Water has been fined more than £700,000 for repeatedly releasing sewage into a country park stream in Derbyshire, the Environment Agency (EA) said.  Yorkshire Water was issued with the penalty after pleading guilty to three offences of sewage pollution in Pools Brook country park […]

26 Feb 2026

Image description: A red and white sign nailed to a wooden fence is in the foreground, with a sandy beach and sea in the background. The sign reads “beach closed, no swimming”. Image by YM, Unsplash. A group legal claim against South West Water (SSW) alleging sewage pollution into coastal waters is harming businesses and individuals has been extended across Devon and Cornwall.  […]

19 Feb 2026

Image description: A wide view of a lake, grass and mountains in Cockermouth Cumbria. Photo by Joy Roxas on Unsplash Discovery and investigation of ‘toxic pollution hotspots’  The Guardian has exclusively revealed a number of ‘toxic pollution hotspots’ has been uncovered across Cumbria and Lancashire, with high levels of the banned cancer-causing “forever chemical” Pfos detected in rivers and groundwater at 25 sites.  Pfos is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (Pfas), […]

19 Feb 2026

Proposals include first ever designated bathing spot on River Thames Image description: The river Thames flowing under Tower Bridge, with heavy boat traffic. Photo by: Pietro de Grandi, Unsplash   The government has proposed 13 new designated swimming locations, including the first ever official bathing spot in London’s River Thames.  Achieving designated status means these locations will undergo regular water quality testing by […]

12 Feb 2026

 Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-working-on-documents-7821540/    The Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors (Chartered IIA) has urged the UK Government to address what it sees as a significant governance gap in the water sector, warning that the lack of any regulatory requirement for internal audit in England and Wales is contributing to ongoing operational failures.  In a letter to […]

12 Feb 2026

Photo by Matej Bizjak / Pexels   Natural England has approved England’s first unrestricted wild beaver releases, with four Eurasian beavers introduced to Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Helman Tor reserve and additional releases planned across the UK – marking a watershed moment for nature recovery 400 years after the species’ extinction in the UK. The Helman […]