Official Environment Agency assessments have found that every water body in England is polluted with toxic chemicals, with only 14.3% of surface waters rated as being in good ecological status.
Key facts
- Every English water body is polluted with toxic chemicals, new government data shows.
- Just 14.3% of surface waters achieved good ecological status.
- The Environment Agency assessed the country's rivers, lakes and estuaries as part of a six-yearly evaluation.
- Checks covered chemicals including Pfas 'forever chemicals' and microplastics.
Every single water body in England is polluted with toxic chemicals, according to new government data reported by the Guardian. The findings come from Environment Agency assessments carried out as part of a six-yearly evaluation of England’s water quality.
The data shows that just 14.3% of the country’s surface waters achieved good ecological status. Each of England’s rivers, lakes and estuaries was assessed by the Environment Agency during the evaluation.
As part of the assessments, the Environment Agency checked for a range of toxic chemicals. These included Pfas, often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’, as well as microplastics.
The Guardian reports that waters were also checked against a range of standards. These covered wildlife, water quality and physical habitat.
The scale of the findings underlines the extent of chemical contamination across England’s waterways, with no water body escaping pollution according to the official assessment.
Why it matters
Water quality affects public health, wildlife and the wider environment, so finding pollution in every English water body signals a widespread problem. The low share of surface waters in good ecological status highlights the scale of the challenge facing regulators and policymakers.
Frequently asked questions
What share of England's surface waters are in good ecological status?
According to the Environment Agency data reported by the Guardian, just 14.3% of surface waters achieved good ecological status.
What chemicals were checked in the assessment?
The Environment Agency checked for a range of toxic chemicals, including Pfas – or 'forever chemicals' – and microplastics.
How often is this water quality evaluation carried out?
The Environment Agency assessment is part of a six-yearly evaluation of England's water quality.