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Government, Policy & Regulation

Drought declared in north-west of England

The Environment Agency has declared drought status for the north-west of England following the driest start to spring in 69 years. River flows have been...

Water scarcity concern remains for much of Scotland despite recent rainfall

Following rainfall at the beginning of the week, some parts of Scotland have seen temporary improvements in water conditions. However, the Scottish Environment Protection...

Environment Secretary Steve Reed takes control of the planning process for two new reservoirs

The Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, has today taken control of the planning process for two new reservoirs, in an intervention to speed up delivery. Anglian...

Ofwat fines Thames Water nearly £123m following two investigations

Ofwat has announced the final decision in two investigations looking into the operations of Thames Water, who will face penalties totalling £122.7m. The water industry...

EFRA Committee wants answers from Thames Water’s Chair and CEO regarding “paused” bonuses

The EFRA Committee, which is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of Defra, has written separately to...

Prolonged dry conditions increase water scarcity across Scotland

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has confirmed that Scotland’s water scarcity situation is worsening, with a further decline in river levels following another...

NRW steps up action in response to prolonged dry weather

Following the extended period of warm and dry weather, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has confirmed that the trigger thresholds have been met to move...

Government Taskforce meets on Merseyside to bolster nation’s flood resilience

Bolstering the nation’s resilience to flooding, including in Merseyside, was top of the agenda as the Government’s national Floods Resilience Taskforce convened in Aintree...

Record 81 criminal investigations launched into water companies under Government crackdown

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has revealed a record total of 81 criminal investigations into water companies have been launched...

Welsh Parliament’s Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee raises concerns over the ability of Natural Resources Wales to do its job

The Welsh Parliament's Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee has raised concerns over the ability of Natural Resources Wales to do its job effectively. NRW...

Steve Reed says Thames Water’s attempt to circumvent the ban on executive bonuses by renaming them was the “wrong thing to do”

During the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee session on the morning of May 20, 2025, Environment Secretary Steve Reed MP addressed concerns...

Lords nitrogen inquiry to conclude by hearing from Defra Ministers

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee has announced it will conclude its inquiry into the efficient use and management of reactive...

Government responds to OEP report on the Environmental Principles Policy Statement

The government has said it welcomes the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP’s) report ‘A review of implementation of the duty to have due regard...

Anglian Water fined a record £1.42 million for using unapproved materials in drinking water tanks that compromised water supply

Anglian Water has been fined a record £1.42 million at Northampton Crown Court following a prosecution by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) for drinking...

Scotland’s water industry regulator accused of failure, following inappropriate use of public money

The Public Audit Committee (PAC) has published its final report on the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS), following its scrutiny of  the water...

EFRA Committee to quiz Defra Secretary of State, Steve Reed, about Thames Water situation

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA), which is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of...

CRU publishes its 2023 performance assessments on Uisce Éireann

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has published its 2023 performance assessments on Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water). The two reports, 'Water Sector Customer...

Environment Agency starts sampling Devon and Cornwall’s beaches

Environment Agency sampling of Devon and Cornwall's 155 monitored beaches has now started and will run through until the end of September. A beach...

New bathing water season for Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Sussex

Environment Agency monitoring of the 56 designated bathing waters between Highcliffe and Hastings Pelham have started ahead of summer. According to the EA, the chief...

Landmark case sees Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water fined £1.35m for over 800 breaches to sewage discharge permits

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has been fined £1,350,000 and ordered to pay £70,237.70 costs after pleading guilty to over 800 breaches of its environmental...

All of Scotland now at some level of water scarcity

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has said that all of Scotland is now at some level of water scarcity alert, following a drier...

CMA recommends making Ofwat’s price control decisions subject to appeals, rather than a redetermination process

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is recommending making Ofwat’s price control decisions subject to appeals, rather than a redetermination process, and that the...

Over half of septic tanks in Ireland failed inspection, putting householders’ health and the environment at risk, says EPA

Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its report on Domestic Waste Water Treatment System Inspections 2024 on 13 May 2025, which details the findings...

EFRA Committee Chair concerned about Thames Water bosses commitment to transparency and accountability after evidence session

Following this morning's evidence session with Thames Water bosses, Alistair Carmichael has expressed concern about the company’s commitment to transparency and accountability to its...

Half of Scotland’s river catchments now at Alert for water scarcity, as SEPA asks the public to share images to help assess conditions

Scotland is experiencing growing signs of water scarcity, with half of all river catchments now at Alert status. The latest water situation report, published on...

Ofwat responds to the Independent Water Commission’s call for evidence

Ofwat has responded to the Call for Evidence issued in February by the Independent Commission on the Water Sector Regulatory System. In its official...

​​Reappointment of Committee members​ to the Climate Change Committee

The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, The Rt Hon Ed Milliband MP, along with relevant Ministers in the Scottish Government,...

Thames Water executives to be questioned by MPs

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) will quiz the CEO, CFO and Chair of Thames Water in a public hearing of the...

EA steps up dry weather prep after driest spring start since 1956

The Environment Agency has urged water companies to do more to safeguard water supplies after the driest start to spring in 69 years.  The environmental...

SEPA serves penalties to farmers for unauthorised river engineering

Scotland’s environmental regulator is urging land managers to ensure practices are in line with environmental regulations after serving two £600 civil penalties to farmers...

EPA says high standards achieved for bathing water quality in Ireland, but challenges remain during heavy rainfall

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Ireland has published the Bathing Water Quality in Ireland report for 2024 which shows that water quality at...

Ofwat launches consultation on proposed modifications to Conditions B, N and T of Thames Water’s licence

Ofwat has launched a consultation on proposed modifications to Conditions B, N and T of Thames Water's licence. The water regulator says the modifications it...

Minister Muir announces seven new bathing water sites identified for Northern Ireland

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has announced that seven new bathing water sites have been formally identified for Northern Ireland. The Minister made the announcement during...

Water Industry Commission for Scotland responds to Independent Water Commission’s call for evidence, offering a Scottish perspective on economic regulation

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) has responded to the Independent Water Commission’s call for evidence, offering a Scottish perspective on economic regulation.    While...

Information Commissioner’s Office tells water companies that transparency must be the default position

The Information Commissioner’s Office has told water companies that transparency must be the default position when it comes to information under the Environmental Information...

Lords nitrogen inquiry to hear from Environment Agency and Ofwat

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee is continuing its inquiry into the efficient use and management of reactive nitrogen in water...

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