England’s Rivers and Lakes Remain in Poor Ecological Health

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.

The figures come from the first comprehensive assessment of England’s water health in six years.

The Environment Agency (EA) also found that no single waterway passed a separate test for chemical pollution.

Only 15% of rivers meet good ecological standards

Environment Agency data shows that just 15% of England’s rivers are classed as being in good ecological condition.

The situation is even worse for lakes, with fewer than 7% reaching the same standard.

The EA said the results are partly linked to legacy pollutants, including heavy metals, as well as so-called ‘forever chemicals’ that build up in the environment.

The agency’s chair, Alan Lovell, acknowledged that England’s water bodies were “below standards”. He said the EA was increasing enforcement action to tackle problems including sewage spills.

Phosphate remains a major problem

One of the biggest sources of pollution is phosphate.

Phosphate is a nutrient found in sewage and agricultural runoff. At high levels, it can damage aquatic ecosystems.

Around half of England’s rivers still exceed safe phosphate levels.

Other pollutants affecting rivers, lakes and coastal waters include petrol, garden pesticides and contaminated water running off roads. This runoff can carry microplastics and other chemicals into waterways.

The Environment Agency said some chemicals are particularly difficult to tackle because they do not break down easily. Instead, they can accumulate in the environment.

‘Forever chemicals’ raise concerns

Scientists have also raised concerns about chemicals known as PFAS, often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’.

Prof Penny Johnes, a leading water quality scientist at the University of Bristol, told the BBC it was also a “failure to regulate effectively” the new chemicals entering rivers.

She highlighted PFAS and antibiotics, many of which are not routinely monitored.

There are currently 23 enforcement notices against water companies requiring them to lower PFAS levels to reduce the danger to human health.

Water UK has called for PFAS use to be banned to limit their build-up and reduce water treatment costs. However, PFAS are currently used in thousands of products, including school uniforms and medical devices.

Government water targets at risk

The government is on course to miss its legally binding target of restoring 77% of England’s waters to good ecological status by 2027.

The Office for Environmental Protection has warned that the target will be missed by a “considerable margin”.

The watchdog is now investigating both the government and the Environment Agency over possible rule breaches.

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle said the figures “underline the need for wholesale change across the water sector”.

She pointed to new laws introduced by the government to hold water companies to account and record investment.

“We will drive forward a system that puts the public interest first,” she said.

£22bn investment planned for water improvements

The poor state of England’s waterways comes despite plans for major investment in environmental improvements.

Water companies are expected to spend £22bn by 2030 on improvements.

Water UK, which represents the water companies, said it was spending record amounts on improving the country’s waterways.

“Water companies are investing £22bn in environmental improvements by 2030. This will help to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.”

Despite this investment, the overall picture has changed little since 2019.

The Environment Agency stressed that this year’s results cannot be directly compared with 2019 because it has changed its assessment methods.

Lake health figures affected by new assessment methods

The number of lakes classified as being in good ecological condition has fallen by around half since 2019.

However, the Environment Agency said this does not necessarily represent a genuine decline in lake health.

Instead, much of the change reflects how experts now assess lakes.

The agency’s chair, Alan Lovell, acknowledged that too many water bodies were “still not achieving the standards we want to see”.

He added that the agency was “transforming our enforcement work” with its largest ever workforce.

Prof Johnes, however, argued that the true condition of England’s waterways is almost certainly worse than the classifications suggest.

She said the assessment scheme was “not fit for purpose”. According to Prof Johnes, it measures too few pollutants too infrequently and misses nitrogen and other substances that scientists have long understood to be contributing to river decline.

Drought could make water pollution worse

The findings come as much of England remains in official drought.

Rivers are running low, while more than 20 million people face hosepipe bans.

Low river flows can make pollution more concentrated. This can expose fish and other aquatic life to higher levels of harmful substances.

Climate change is expected to bring hotter and drier summers, which could make the problem worse.

Asked directly whether England’s waters were healthier than six or seven years ago, Prof Johnes said: “No, definitely not.”

Agriculture is also a major source of pollution

Much of the public debate about England’s water quality has focused on sewage released by water companies.

However, campaigners and scientists also identify agriculture as a major source of pollution.

Erica Popplewell, of the campaign group River Action, said some farming practices, particularly intensive poultry units, were a growing threat to rivers such as the Wye and Severn.

“There’s a lot of poo that comes out of the chickens,” she said. “If it goes straight into a river, it causes eutrophication. The whole ecology of the river is damaged, and the river is dying.”

She called on the government to tackle sewage and farming “with the same urgency”.

Farmers call for targeted investment

The National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales urged the government and Environment Agency to prioritise working with farmers through targeted investment.

NFU deputy president Paul Tomkins said:

“These results demonstrate the need for continued action from every sector across the water supply chain, and farming is no exception, but the underlying indicators do show that the health of many waterways in England is encouraging, which is a positive foundation to build on,”

What does this mean for England’s waterways?

The latest assessment highlights the scale of the challenge facing England’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters.

Only a minority of rivers and lakes currently meet good ecological standards, while chemical pollution remains a widespread concern.

Sewage, agricultural runoff, persistent chemicals and low river flows all put pressure on freshwater ecosystems.

With climate change expected to increase the risk of hotter and drier summers, protecting England’s waterways will become increasingly important for wildlife, ecosystems and communities.

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Restoring rivers and bringing nature back

At Natural World Fund, we believe healthy waterways are essential for thriving wildlife and resilient ecosystems. From restoring rivers and wetlands to improving habitats and supporting nature recovery, practical action can help reduce pressure on our waterways, restore biodiversity and create healthier environments for people and wildlife.