Giving the River Rib room to breathe: restoring a Hertfordshire chalk stream
Chalk streams are among the rarest freshwater habitats on Earth, with around 85% of the world's 280 chalk streams found in England.
Water
Posts about our work to improve the water environment
How science is helping us respond to the Tyne nurdle pollution incident
Posted by:
Dr Robert Bradburne, Posted on:
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Categories:
Cleaner Seas, Environment Agency, Science, Water, Water Monitoring
By Dr Rob Bradburne, Environment Agency Chief Scientist When incidents happen, good decisions depend on good science. That is certainly true of the ongoing recovery along North East England's coast, where a maritime collision released small pellets of plastic, known …
Two Years On: My Reflections as Chief Regulator
Two years ago, the Environment Agency created the Chief Regulator's Group to provide strategic leadership for regulation. We’re helping create a more consistent, effective and proportionate regulatory system and strengthening the connection between strategy, policy and delivery.
Why water regulation is changing – and how Clear Waters is helping
Posted by:
Environment Agency, Posted on:
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Categories:
Environment Agency, Ofwat, Regulated industry, Rivers, Water, Water Monitoring
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 …
How does the Environment Agency manage abstraction to protect the environment?
Posted by:
Environment Agency, Posted on:
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Categories:
agriculture, Climate change, Drought, Regulated industry, Rivers, Water
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, …
A complex picture, but a clearer path: what the 2025 water classifications tell us about England’s waterways
Posted by:
Dr Robert Bradburne, Posted on:
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Categories:
Environment Agency, Water, Water Monitoring
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 …
Helping you choose where and when to swim in open water
Posted by:
Environment Agency, Posted on:
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Categories:
Canals, Cleaner Seas, Rivers, Water, Water Monitoring
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 …
Lowland Peat Water Implementation Grant – applications now open
We are now receiving applications for the Lowland Peat Water Implementation Grant as announced in New funding boost to protect England's iconic peatlands - GOV.UK Up to £36 million is available to install infrastructure that will allow applicants to better manage water for lowland peat areas. Follow this link for more details and how to …
Making a real difference: a day in the life of a Water Industry Regulation team leader
I didn’t come from a regulatory or environmental background, but I’ve always had a deep-rooted passion for nature. Growing up, I spent a lot of time gardening with my parents and grandparents, learning the value of patience, care, and respect for the natural world. As my career progressed, I became increasingly aware of the pressures being placed on our environment and it felt …
Geological mapping of Berwick’s water
We have commissioned the British Geological Survey to undertake a new survey of the Fell Sandstone Formation and surrounding strata to help us undertake our regulatory role in protecting groundwater underlying Berwick and the surrounding area.