Rivers, lakes, and seas should not be pressure valves for pollution

26 March 2026

Today, the Government has released data revealing that in 2025 water companies were responsible for an eye-watering 300,000 incidents of untreated sewage being discharged into England’s rivers, lakes and seas. The figures show a 35% decrease compared to the previous year, likely due to the very dry weather conditions of 2025. As such, Wildlife and Countryside Link, the biggest environmental coalition in England, has come together with 66 other nature charities to demand Clean Water Now in the upcoming Water Bill.

Richard Benwell, Chief Executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, says:
“When sewage is pouring out even in a dry year, you really know the system is broken. These aren’t stormwater overflows; they’re all-weather wastepipes. Rivers, lakes, and seas should not be pressure valves for pollution. Any sewage in our waters is too much.

“Sewage is the most visible part of a much deeper problem. Across the country, rivers are being suffocated by a toxic cocktail of agricultural runoff, sewage, and chemicals. This is what systemic failure looks like: multiple sources of pollution, weak oversight, and no single body taking responsibility for the health of our waters.

“We need system-wide transformation, not half measures. That means a new Water Bill that stops pollution at source, fixes the broken system, and restores nature. With elections just around the corner, it’s time for politicians to deliver their promise of Clean Water, Now.”

Read more now in our report, Clean Water Now.