22 Oct 2026
Image description: Water with patches of petrol and oil on the surface. A significant pollution incident affecting 4km of river A major fuel spill originating from a GE Aerospace site near Taffs Well in South Wales sent kerosene spreading across almost 4km of the River Taff from 16 October. GE Aerospace confirmed that fuel […]
22 Oct 2026
Image description: A hand in a blue glove holding a test tube containing a sample of river water for analysis. New findings reignite a decades-long controversy Charity Earthwatch Europe has published new findings from citizen science sampling across Corby, Northamptonshire, identifying potentially harmful concentrations of metals and metalloids at all 52 freshwater sites tested […]
13 Oct 2026
Photo description: Two striped deck chairs, one red and one blue, on a pebbled beach, with the sea in the background. Photo credit: Adobe Stock Water companies in England failed to report more than 50,000 sewage discharges inside the hour required by law during the first six months of 2026, according to analysis published […]
08 Oct 2026
Image description: Aerial drone photo of the town of Ripon in North Yorkshire in the UK showing traffic going over the main road and bridge going over a River Ure in the winter time with trees on either side A £1.5m scheme by Yorkshire Water to reduce storm overflow discharges into the River Ure […]
27 Aug 2026
Image description: Blue plastic and steel pipes. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has outlined new standards for water companies to assess, manage and report risks that could lead to a loss of drinking water supplies. This directive expands existing Drinking Water Safety Plans to include “sufficiency” risk assessments of network assets. Applying a DWSP […]
25 Aug 2026
Photo by Annie Spratt The Environment Agency issued bathing warnings for three Isle of Wight beaches this week after storm overflows released sewage-contaminated water following heavy rain, reviving long-running concerns about the resilience of the island’s sewer network. The agency advised against swimming at Gurnard, Shanklin and Bembridge on Wednesday 19 August, with Southern Water’s own Rivers and Sea Watch service listing around 15 further locations where an “outfall release within the last 24 hours” may have affected water quality. Multiple […]
18 Aug 2026
Photo by Gabe Fender Bathing has resumed on part of Blyth South Beach in Northumberland after a week-long precautionary advisory following reports of a possible fuel or oil spill, though the investigation into the source of the pollution continues. A strong-smelling substance found on the sand The Environment Agency logged a pollution incident on its water […]
30 Jul 2026
Photo credit: Sander Crombach None of London’s rivers is currently rated as being in good condition. That is the backdrop to a ten-year plan launched by the Mayor of London to clean up the capital’s waterways, backed by £1.8 billion of partner funding over five years. The Clean Rivers and Waterways plan brings together […]
