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Water

Posts about our work to improve the water environment

New research project launched by the Environment Agency to monitor saltmarsh’s carbon capture and storage

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Climate change, Environment Agency, Flood, Water

The Environment Agency (EA) is part of a new research project that will monitor saltmarshes across the UK.  Saltmarsh plays a significant role in mitigating climate change by absorbing and storing greenhouse gasses in their plants and sediments. As well …

Farming Rules for Water: The vital role of soil testing

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: agriculture, Environment Agency, Regulated industry, Water
It's vital that farmers test their soil

Established by Defra in 2018, the Farming Rules for Water (FRfW) were introduced to reduce and prevent diffuse water pollution from agricultural sources. They are applicable to all farmers and land managers across England and work to safeguard water quality …

Working towards a cleaner Wharfe – a closer look at water quality testing at Ilkley’s bathing water

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Environment Agency, Sustainability, Water
The image shows a photograph of the River Wharfe at Cromwheel, with a view to the suspension bridge across the river.

In December 2020, a stretch of the River Wharfe at Cromwheel, Ilkley, in Yorkshire was designated a bathing water by Defra,the first section of a river in the country to become a bathing water. Yorkshire’s Bathing Waters lead Claire Campbell …

2023 Event Duration Monitoring Data Publication

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Environment Agency, Regulated industry, Water

Today (Wednesday 27 March) we have published storm overflow (Event Duration Monitoring data) for the 2023 calendar year. Event Duration Monitors record the number and duration of spills from storm overflows. To view mapped data visit Storm Overflow Spill Frequency (arcgis.com)  …

Water company employees: How to report serious wrongdoing to the Environment Agency

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Environment Agency, Regulated industry, Water

Today, Tuesday 26th March, the Environment Agency (EA) has launched a new whistleblowing portal enabling water company staff to report environmental wrongdoing by their own organisations and industry.    Our message to water company workers is that if you suspect the …

Harnessing the hidden power of restored saltmarshes for carbon capture

The EA has done major work in restoring salt marshes

A recent collaboration involving the Environment Agency, the environmental consultancy Jacobs and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) is shining a light on the role of restored saltmarshes in storing blue carbon – carbon captured by the oceans and coastal ecosystems. The …

Environment Officer Joseph Holder explains how weekly beach walkovers and inspections are helping to improve Weston-super-Mare’s bathing water quality

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Cleaner Seas, Environment Agency, hydrometry, Regulated industry, Water
EA are using drones in Weston-Super Mare

  The Environment Agency conducts weekly sampling during the bathing water season, which spans from May to September. Across the UK, there are 424 designated bathing water sites, 49 of these sit within Wessex. Each one of these sites is …

Bathing water classifications and short-term pollution

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Cleaner Seas, Cleaner Seas, Environment Agency, Water
4. Environment Agency staff member in the sea taking a sample of the water.

Our blog on 1 February explained how we approach monitoring, sampling and testing of bathing waters and our approach to keeping public informed and warned when there are short term risks of pollution which bathers would rightly want to be …