England Rates Only 15% of Rivers Good as All Waterways Fail Chemical Pollution Test
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 6
England Rates Only 15% of Rivers Good as All Waterways Fail Chemical Pollution Test
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 6
Summary
Environment Agency data showed only about one in seven English waters met good ecological standards—15% of rivers and fewer than 7% of lakes—in the first full review in six years.
Phosphate from sewage and farm runoff remained the biggest single problem, with about half of rivers above safe levels, while every river and lake failed the separate chemical test.
The overall picture has changed little since 2019 despite £22 billion pledged for water-company environmental upgrades by 2030, and officials are already set to miss the 2027 target for 77% of waters to reach good status.
Scientists said the true condition is likely worse than the classifications suggest because monitoring misses pollutants such as nitrogen and many PFAS, even as 23 enforcement notices already target PFAS levels at water companies.
Drought is adding pressure: low river flows and hosepipe bans affecting more than 20 million people can concentrate pollution further, a risk expected to worsen with hotter, drier summers.