English water industry environmental performance falls despite major investment

The environmental performance of water companies in England fell again last year despite industry investment, BBC News reported on Thursday. A joint report by regulators revealed that eight of the nine water companies in England received ratings of poor or requiring improvement. Only Severn Trent achieved the highest rating. [1]

Regulators praised water companies for reducing service disruptions, according to BBC News. However, regulators noted that serious pollution entering the environment remains a major concern across the industry. [1]

The chair of the environmental regulator stated that the results demonstrate that the water industry continues to fall well short of the standards demanded by regulators and the public, BBC News reported. Four separate regulators currently oversee water companies in England. [1]

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances or pathogens contaminate water bodies, making them unsafe for human use or harmful to aquatic life, Wikipedia notes. Pollution originates from identifiable point sources, such as industrial discharge and sewage, as well as non-point sources like agricultural runoff. [2]