29 Nov 2023

A new campaign group, whose founders include the environmental activist and columnist George Monbiot, is taking the UK government to court over its failure to properly regulate the use of sewage sludge, which is used as fertiliser on farmland. The campaign is underpinned by the details of a once-secret Environment Agency report, obtained by an […]

22 Nov 2023

The Environment Agency has provided an update in its national investigation into potential breaches of permit conditions at wastewater treatment works by water and sewerage companies. The Agency has completed site visits, covering flow systems and monitors, maintenance regimes, management practices and site diaries. It is now moving on to the data analysis stage, but the […]

22 Nov 2023

The majority of popular inland bathing spots in England have been found to be unsafe for swimming, according to a report by Surfers Against Sewage. In a survey of a representative sample of popular swimming and water sports locations, 60% were found to have pollution at unsafe levels, the annual report from the campaign group said. Forty […]

21 Nov 2023

Dozens of popular swimming locations in England would be deemed “poor” quality if officially designated as bathing spots, according to a report exploring the “shocking state of UK bathing waters”, ITVnews has reported. Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), which campaigns for clean oceans, rivers and lakes, released its annual water quality report. The environmental group said 40 […]

24 Oct 2023

Sewage systems overflow during periods of heavy rain, and companies are allowed to discharge when they reach a certain level to prevent waste backing up into homes, but not before. Peter Hammond, a former UCL professor who campaigns for Windrush Against Sewage, has collated data, which shows Welsh Water was discharging sewage before it reached […]

12 Oct 2023

With party conference season coming to an end and a general election on the horizon, it’s worth looking at what a new government might mean for the water sector. The Labour Party said it would empower the water regulator Ofwat to ban the payment of bonuses to water bosses who are found to pump significant […]

26 Sep 2023

Reported in the Guardian, pollution from treated and untreated sewage is the greatest threat to river biodiversity, causing more damage than runoff from farms, according to research. There is a need for more regulation of water companies and improvements at their treatment plans to protect rivers, say the authors of the study. The research from […]

26 Sep 2023

Coastal waters and estuaries have been included in the government’s plan to tackle sewage pollution, in a win for campaigners who threatened legal action, ENDSreport has said. The UK Government issued a press release that stated: Government expands plan to tackle storm overflows, including all coastal and estuary sites Marine protected areas and shellfish water […]