Water Pollution in the UK - ‘Water we gonna do about it?’
- Sasha Hill
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Sasha Hill discusses the UK’s issue with water pollution and which stakeholders hold the greatest responsibility for cleaning up this pollution problem and devising short-term and long-term solutions.
Water pollution in the UK is a growing concern. Image by Raymond Eichelberger via Unsplash.
There is nothing better than having a picnic by the river or the seaside with the sun beaming down on you, especially as summer approaches. But sadly, many of these beautiful spots are being spoiled by increasing water pollution. A shocking 14% of rivers and lakes in the UK have achieved “good ecological status”, the criteria for good river health according to Helen Wakeham, Director of Water. This pollution doesn't just affect the look and smell of our rivers; it also affects the biodiversity of the area. It also impacts our water supply as the sources range from rivers, groundwater aquifers, reservoirs, and the sea. In 2024, raw sewage was discharged into England’s waterways for more than 3.6 million hours, a record-breaking figure that has led campaigners to declare a national “dirty water emergency". As we face these challenges on a local and national scale, we must ask ourselves: Where has all our clean water gone?
The causes of water pollution
The root cause is pollution, primarily from four sources: sewage discharge, agricultural runoff, industrial waste, and soil erosion. Among these, water companies play a central role, given their position as one of the most essential and powerful industries in the UK. Their influence, combined with weak regulatory oversight until recently, has enabled some to conceal illegal sewage discharges. In several cases, financial incentives or internal pressure have been used to suppress whistleblowing and avoid public scrutiny. Companies such as Thames Water and United Utilities have come under fire for failing to report or act on extensive spills—Thames Water alone discharged untreated sewage for nearly 300,000 hours in 2024, while United Utilities allegedly concealed over 100 million litres of sewage released into Lake Windermere. Although £104 billion in investment has been promised to improve the UK’s water infrastructure by 2030, some of this is being funded through increased consumer water bills.
Meanwhile, the agricultural industry remains the single largest polluter, responsible for 40% of river contamination due to runoff from fertilisers and animal waste. This runoff contributes to eutrophication, antibiotic resistance, and aquatic habitat degradation. Industrial sources add further complexity, introducing toxic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and hydrocarbons into rivers and bathing waters. Ultimately, accountability is shared, but decades of underregulation and profit-driven decision-making within the water industry have made it a focal point of the UK’s escalating water pollution crisis.
The impacts of water pollution
Water pollution in the UK has far-reaching public health, environmental, and economic consequences. Exposure to contaminated water has been directly linked to a rise in serious illnesses. In 2023 alone, the charity Surfers Against Sewage received 1,853 sickness reports, including cases of gastroenteritis, chest infections, and serious bacterial diseases requiring hospitalisation. Of these, 331 individuals sought medical attention, and 79% reported that their doctors attributed their illness to sewage-related pollution.
Common pathogens include E. coli, which poses a serious threat to swimmers following recent sewage spills. In some cases, the effects were long-lasting: one patient described how recovery disrupted their ability to exercise, commute, or perform daily tasks. In parallel, a University of York study found antimicrobial resistance genes, including those resistant to last-resort antibiotics, at several designated bathing sites, raising concerns about the long-term effectiveness of treatments for waterborne infections.
The environmental impacts are equally severe. According to the Wildlife Trusts, 10% of freshwater and wetland species are now at risk of extinction due to pollution, while 38% of fish health checks fail in Wales and England as a result of pollution-induced disease. These ecological consequences threaten biodiversity, habitat quality, and ecosystem stability in rivers and estuaries across the country.
Economically, the response to this crisis has imposed rising costs on the public. In 2024 alone, raw sewage was discharged into England’s waterways for 3.6 million hours, a record-breaking figure that represents a sharp increase from 2023. At the same time, water companies have faced scrutiny for prioritising shareholder payouts over environmental performance. Friends of the Earth reported in 2023 that since privatisation in 1989, water companies have paid £72 billion to shareholders, prompting criticism from environmental groups and the public. In response, campaigns such as Extinction Rebellion’s “Don’t Pay for Dirty Water” have emerged, urging citizens to withhold sewerage bill payments until meaningful reforms are enacted. As Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, argues:
“We can change things, if we change the way our system is run. Across the globe, the norm is to manage water at a local level, rather than the 100% private ownership model in place in England that has proved catastrophic for the environment and public health... The era of broken pipes and broken promises must end.”
The actions that are being taken
Efforts to combat water pollution in the UK are unfolding across multiple fronts, involving government legislation, regulatory oversight, infrastructure investment, and community activism. At the national level, theUK Government has introduced reforms under the Water Act, including a measure that bans water company executives from receiving bonuses and two years in prison if they fail to meet environmental protection standards set by the Environment Agency. This aims to align financial incentives with pollution control. The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) is also investigating whether the Government and regulators have complied with water quality laws, signalling a move toward greater regulatory accountability. Additionally, ongoing alignment with standards like the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive provides a legal framework for minimum wastewater treatment obligations.
Infrastructure investment is a critical pillar of reform, with promises of over £100 billion in upgrades to sewage and water systems by 2030, partly funded through increased consumer water bills. These upgrades are designed to reduce storm overflows, modernise treatment facilities, and better manage combined sewer systems.
Beyond institutional actions, grassroots activism and environmental organisations play a vital role in pushing for reform. Surfers Against Sewage demand stricter sewage discharge limits and legal rights for communities to access clean water. Friends of the Earth call for the renationalisation of water services, and the Extinction Rebellion pushes for a shift toward publicly owned, ecologically sustainable models.