How we investigate illegal waste sites Waste crime is serious crime. It harms communities, undercuts legitimate waste businesses and can damage the environment. The Environment Agency investigates illegal waste activity in England. Our role is to assess and manage environmental risks, identify those responsible, …
Regulating the environmental performance of the water industry is a core Environment Agency function. Since 2023 we have been transforming the way we regulate the water industry. Backed by significant investment we are delivering increased scrutiny and oversight through a specialised workforce dedicated to each water and sewerage company. We recognise that further change is needed and that improvements …
Water is essential for drinking, farming, industry, wildlife and recreation. Managing our rivers, lakes, estuaries, wetlands and groundwater properly ensures the needs of society, the economy and nature can be met over the long term. 2026 has seen the driest July in 190 years, …
Each time we publish the latest assessment of England's waters through the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulation classification, a familiar headline emerges: only a minority of rivers, lakes and estuaries achieve "good" overall status. It's a figure that invites a simple reading: that progress is “too slow”, that investment “hasn't delivered”, that the water environment is stagnating or declining. Those concerns are understandable, but they …
Waste crime isn't fly-tipping. It's a billion-pound criminal enterprise in which organised crime groups exploit the waste industry to launder money, evade tax, undercut legitimate businesses, and pollute communities and the environment, while presenting themselves as lawful operators. These criminals …
In the middle of another hot, dry summer we can see our climate is changing. When we head into winter this translates into more rain, more runoff, and more pressure on slurry storage. Getting ahead now can help protect your land, your business and the waterways your community depends on.
Water is a precious resource that we can’t live without; from supplying drinking water and supporting fisheries, to providing an essential resource to business and agriculture, as well as a source of recreation. It is important that our rivers, lakes, …
At the Flood & Coast conference 2026, Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy spoke about climate challenges and what they mean for those working in flooding, the new approach to delivering flood defences and how we need to work together …
Following Rolls-Royce SMR’s announcement about the new Pioneer Works facility in Derby, Andy Pynn, our strategic lead for nuclear new build, reflects on a visit he made to the company’s EXPERI facility at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research …
In July 2021, thousands of Londoners watched floodwater enter their homes, businesses and communities with little warning, turning an ordinary summer day into an unforgettable one. Over two separate days, extreme rainfall overwhelmed parts of the capital, causing widespread flash flooding across 24 boroughs. Homes, …
Open water swimming can be an invigorating experience, but it carries real risks. Before you head out, it's worth knowing a little about how water quality is monitored in England and where that monitoring does and doesn't apply. In this blog, we explain where you can …
