Majority of England's rivers and lakes fail new environmental review
A new environmental assessment reveals that only 15% of England's rivers and 7% of its lakes are in good ecological condition. Despite significant funding, progress has stalled, with phosphate pollution from sewage and agriculture remaining a critical issue.
Why it matters
The failure to meet environmental targets highlights a systemic crisis in water management and the difficulty of balancing industrial/agricultural output with ecological health.
Image source, Getty Images By Matt McGrath Environment correspondent Published 12 minutes ago England's rivers, lakes and coastal waters remain in a challenging state with only around one in seven classed as being in good ecological condition, according to the first comprehensive assessment of their health in six years.
Data from the Environment Agency shows that while 15% of rivers are classed as good, fewer than 7% of lakes reached that level. No single waterway passed a separate test for chemical pollution.
The biggest individual problem is phosphate - a nutrient from sewage and farm runoff - with around half of rivers still exceeding safe levels.
Despite a record £22bn earmarked for water company environmental improvements by 2030, the overall picture has changed little since 2019.
Published 26 March UK's biggest ever environmental pollution claim reaches High Court
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