Latest news with #cleanrivers
Telegraph
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Labour pledges to halve sewage in rivers by 2030
Labour has pledged to halve the amount of raw sewage being pumped into rivers, lakes and seas by the end of the decade. Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary, said that delivering his vow would make Britain's waterways 'the cleanest since records began'. The announcement is a victory for The Telegraph's long-running Clean Rivers Campaign, which has called for a crackdown on polluting water companies. It comes after the dire state of Britain's polluted waterways played a significant role in ousting the Tories from many rural seats at last summer's election. Chichester, a city which had been Tory for a century, was captured by the Lib Dems after the party capitalised on anger over contamination of the River Lavant. Labour has also made river pollution a campaign pledge and has launched a crackdown on the bosses of water companies which are guilty of spillages. Mr Reed has unveiled a promise to ensure that there is at least a 50 per cent reduction in the number of spills from storm overflow drains every year. There are around 14,500 storm overflow drains in England, which are used to pump raw sewage into rivers and the sea when there is heavy rain. Last year there was a record 3.6 million hours of sewage spills into waterways, suffocating wildlife and making bathing waters unsafe for humans. The Environment Secretary has also pledged to halve the levels of phosphorus – a chemical contained in treated wastewater – entering rivers. Writing for The Telegraph, he said that public confidence in water companies had 'collapsed' amid public fury at the mounting levels of sewage spillages. 'I'm making a clear commitment to the British people – this Government will halve sewage pollution within five years, making our rivers the cleanest since records began,' he wrote. 'Over a decade of national renewal, the Government will restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health. This is the first time any UK Government has made a clear pledge to cut sewage pollution which you can hold us to account for.' It comes after a new report by the Environment Agency found that 'systemic water company failure' has been behind a surge in river pollution. The green quango said that the number of 'serious' pollution incidents increased by 60 per cent last year compared with the previous year. It said that just three firms were behind four-fifths of those cases, though all nine providers in England had demonstrated 'consistently poor performance'. Scandal-hit Thames Water was the worst offender, registering 33 such incidents, followed by Southern Water with 15 and Yorkshire Water with 13. The same firms have been criticised for announcing controversial hosepipe bans while also overseeing major leaks and paying senior executives six-figure salaries. Across all companies, the number of pollution spillages increased by almost a third, up 29 per cent from 2,174 in 2023 to 2,801 last year. Mr Reed said that he was tackling the problem by unlocking £104 billion of investment from water firms into fixing pipes and building sewage plants. Labour has also introduced new laws that will force firms to ring-fence money from customers' bills to pay for upgrades to their networks. Bosses at water companies which perform poorly now have their bonuses blocked, whilst £100m of fines is being spent on clean-up projects. I have laid down the building blocks to clean up waterways By Steve Reed Our water system is broken, with record levels of sewage and pollution in our rivers, lakes and seas and customers' bills soaring. Public confidence collapsed as water company bosses oversaw decades of under-investment while paying themselves undeserved multi-million pound bonuses. Other countries' water sectors aren't like this, but the British people have been left to pay the price of failure as our waterways – a source of national pride – were blighted. After one year in the job, I have laid down the building blocks to clean up polluted waterways across England. We have strengthened the rules to restore accountability and fairness. Undeserved bonuses for water company bosses have been banned, a record 81 criminal investigations launched into sewage pollution and, under our flagship new laws, polluting water bosses who cover up their offences now face up to two years in prison. We have begun rebuilding the entire water network with £104 billion of private sector money to repair crumbling pipes and build sewage treatment works across the country. And today, I'm making a clear commitment to the British people – this Government will halve sewage pollution within five years, making our rivers the cleanest since records began. Over a decade of national renewal, the Government will restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health. This is the first time any UK Government has made a clear pledge to cut sewage pollution which you can hold us to account for. Without a major investment, the UK could run out of clean drinking water by the middle of the next decade. I am stepping in to speed up the building of major reservoirs and water transfer systems in England's driest areas. We are also holding water companies to account by making them put money back into people's pockets when they fail their customers. On Monday, the Government will kick off a once-in-a-generation reset of our water sector with root and branch reform. We will work in partnership with the water industry, its investors and customers, so that we can clean up our water as part of the Government's Plan for Change. After years of failure, we're building a water system fit for 21st century Britain – one that serves the people who rely on it every single day.
The Independent
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Government unveils bold plan to clean our polluted rivers
Environment Secretary Steve Reed is set to pledge a halving of sewage pollution from water companies by 2030, aiming for Britain's cleanest rivers on record. The plan includes a £104bn investment to rebuild crumbling sewage pipes, introduce strict new rules, and overhaul the regulation of water companies. This commitment precedes the publication of the Independent Water Commission's landmark review into the water sector, expected on Monday. The pledge addresses public outrage over record sewage spills and rising bills, with serious pollution incidents by water firms increasing by 60 per cent in 2024. Further measures include banning bonuses for water company executives, increasing funding for the Environment Agency, and working towards a ban on plastic-containing wet wipes.
The Independent
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Labour vows to make Britain's rivers cleanest on record by halving sewage pollution
Labour will leave Britain with the cleanest rivers on record by cutting sewage pollution from water firms in half by 2030, the environment secretary will say. Steve Reed will promise on Sunday to make the UK's rivers the cleanest since records began with a £104bn investment to rebuild the country's crumbling sewage pipes. Mr Reed will also roll out a set of strict new rules to slash pollution and a 'root and branch' overhaul of the way water companies are regulated. With a landmark report into the industry being published on Monday, the environment secretary is to promise families across the country cleaner beaches and healthier rivers. It will mark the first time ministers have set a clear target for reducing sewage pollution against which they can be judged at the next election. The package is also aimed at reducing phosphorus from treated wastewater by half by 2028 – the pollutant causes algae blooms, which are harmful to wildlife. The pledge comes as the government faces public disgust over record sewage spills and rising bills, while tasked with turning around the poor governance of debt-ridden water firms. Mr Reed said: 'Families have watched their local rivers, coastlines and lakes suffer from record levels of pollution. 'My pledge to you: the government will halve sewage pollution from water companies by the end of the decade.' It comes ahead of Monday morning's publication of the Independent Water Commission's landmark review into the ailing water sector. The commission was set up by the UK and Welsh governments as part of their response to systemic failures in the industry, although ministers have ruled out nationalising companies. The government will respond to the recommendations in parliament on Monday. On Friday, the Environment Agency revealed that serious pollution incidents caused by water firms across England increased by 60 per cent last year, compared with 2023. The watchdog said companies recorded a total of 2,801 pollution incidents in 2024, up from 2,174 in 2023. Of these, 75 were categorised as posing 'serious or persistent' harm to wildlife and human health, up from 47 last year. Ministers have vowed a 'root and branch reform' to the industry and have introduced a package of measures over the last year to cut pollution levels. They have banned bonuses for 10 bosses this year and threatened prison sentences for law-breaking executives. The government has also hailed plans for £104bn of investment into upgrading crumbling pipes and building new treatment works, as well as ringfencing consumer bills for upgrades instead of companies using money for shareholder payouts of executive bonuses. Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has received a record £189m to support hundreds of enforcement officers for inspections and prosecutions, with fines from companies footing the increase in funding. Ministers hope this will help to reach the newly announced targets on sewage pollution, which can cause harm to swimmers, loss of aquatic life, and the destruction of ecosystems. 'One of the largest infrastructure projects in England's history will clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good,' Mr Reed said. The new pledge also includes working with devolved governments to ban wet wipes containing plastic across the UK, continued work on pre-pipe measures, such as sustainable drainage systems, and the start of trials by water companies of nature-based solutions, such as constructed wetlands. It comes alongside the storm overflow discharge reduction plan, which has set targets on reducing spills, including a 75 per cent reduction in discharging into high-priority sites, such as rare chalk streams, by 2035. There is an already existing statutory target to reduce phosphorus loadings from treated wastewater by 80 per cent by 2038 against a 2020 baseline, as well as an interim goal of a 50 per cent reduction by the end of January 2028 under the environmental improvement plan.
The Guardian
27-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Swimming in urban waterways across the world should be a right, say campaigners
Swimming in urban waterways should be a right, activists have said, as an international alliance aims to persuade politicians to clean up rivers so they can be used safely by their citizens. At the world's first Swimmable Cities summit in Rotterdam, more than 200 representatives from more than 20 countries gathered and plunged into the water. The Swimmable Cities alliance was formed after the project to clean up the River Seine culminated at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The summit is designed to build on this work and progress made in other European cities to create a global network of swimmable urban waterways. The setting itself showed what can be possible; Rotterdam's Rijnhaven, once an industrial port on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas river, is now a designated swimming area complete with a floating pontoon park, and the only legal place to swim in Rotterdam's city centre. Local people come for evening swims or lunchtime dips, children leap in and play, and during the summit, conversations took place in swimsuits. 'No titles, no roles – just humans connecting,' said Daniel Allen-Hörnfeldt, the founder of Umeå Kallbad, a non-profit initiative creating access to bathing and saunas in Umeå, Sweden. 'The Dutch approach to risk is simple: inform, enable, then let go. I was seriously impressed. That sense of trust and ease – combined with clean water and clever design – is a reminder of what a swimmable city can look like.' Increasingly, cities are getting creative. Paris spent nearly €1.4bn (£1.19bn) on restoring the Seine in the lead-up to the Olympics, including building giant stormwater basins to stop sewage overflow and installing new filtration systems at key outlets. As a result, three new urban swimming spots in the city centre will open this July. Copenhagen led the way more than a decade ago by investing in real-time water quality monitoring and rerouting sewage during heavy rain. Its clean harbours now host hugely popular public bathing zones with lifeguard stations, diving boards and saunas. In Switzerland, floating changing rooms and safe entry points make rivers in Basel, Berne and Zurich feel like a true extension of public space. Berlin launched the Flussbad project in 2012 with the ambition of turning a stretch of the Spree into a filtered, free public swimming pool with integrated wetland zones to clean the water naturally. Elsewhere, Melbourne's Yarra Pools project, driven by citizens and architects, is working to open up the river as a place for people to gather and play. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Yet despite these examples, many cities face stubborn barriers to becoming swimmable even when the water itself is clean. Historical legal frameworks often prohibit swimming in urban rivers by default, and insurance concerns and fear of litigation keep the authorities from opening access. Public perception lags behind reality, with lingering fears of dirty water and chemicals left by industry. In many cities, swimming spots cluster in wealthier areas, or come with hidden costs. Oumaima Ouaissa of Wavemakers United, an international non-profit, said: 'Every citizen should feel that urban waterways are theirs to experience and protect. Clean and safe urban waterways are not just environmental assets, they are vital spaces for connection, health and wellbeing.' Rotterdam's vice-mayor, Pascal Lansink-Bastemeijer, said: 'Rotterdam is a city shaped by water – and increasingly, reclaimed by it in the best possible way. This summit is not just about swimming – it's about restoring our relationship with water, and leading together toward cleaner, more livable cities for future generations.' The summit covered subjects including the right to swim and nature rights, waterway restoration and water quality, swimming communities, investment from public and private partnerships, water literacy, and international water diplomacy. Toby Robinson, a British Olympic swimmer attending the summit, said: 'Access to water should be a civil right, not a nice to have. Nothing is free in London, but here anyone can turn up and swim, for free, in the Rijnhaven and as a result the area is buzzing with energy. Local restaurants, cafes and bars are full; it isn't just healthy for the community, it is healthy for the local economy too. If swimmers are thriving, then their city is.' The Swimmable Cities alliance aims to establish a baseline to measure how swimmable urban waterways are worldwide, with specific criteria to benchmark waterway health, accessibility, biodiversity, and social impact. The process will allow cities to measure progress, share best practices, and accelerate the transformation of polluted or neglected waterways into safe and swimmable public spaces. 'This summit demonstrates that city swimming is not just possible, it's a right,' said Matt Sykes, a cofounder of the alliance. 'By the time a city is swimmable, it is more climate resilient, healthier and more equitable.'
The Guardian
27-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Swimming in urban waterways across the world should be a right, say campaigners
Swimming in urban waterways should be a right, activists have said, as an international alliance aims to persuade politicians to clean up rivers so they can be used safely by their citizens. At the world's first Swimmable Cities summit in Rotterdam, more than 200 representatives from more than 20 countries gathered and plunged into the water. The Swimmable Cities alliance was formed after the project to clean up the River Seine culminated at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The summit is designed to build on this work and progress made in other European cities to create a global network of swimmable urban waterways. The setting itself showed what can be possible; Rotterdam's Rijnhaven, once an industrial port on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas river, is now a designated swimming area complete with a floating pontoon park, and the only legal place to swim in Rotterdam's city centre. Local people come for evening swims or lunchtime dips, children leap in and play, and during the summit, conversations took place in swimsuits. 'No titles, no roles – just humans connecting,' said Daniel Allen-Hörnfeldt, the founder of Umeå Kallbad, a non-profit initiative creating access to bathing and saunas in Umeå, Sweden. 'The Dutch approach to risk is simple: inform, enable, then let go. I was seriously impressed. That sense of trust and ease – combined with clean water and clever design – is a reminder of what a swimmable city can look like.' Increasingly, cities are getting creative. Paris spent nearly €1.4bn (£1.19bn) on restoring the Seine in the lead-up to the Olympics, including building giant stormwater basins to stop sewage overflow and installing new filtration systems at key outlets. As a result, three new urban swimming spots in the city centre will open this July. Copenhagen led the way more than a decade ago by investing in real-time water quality monitoring and rerouting sewage during heavy rain. Its clean harbours now host hugely popular public bathing zones with lifeguard stations, diving boards and saunas. In Switzerland, floating changing rooms and safe entry points make rivers in Basel, Berne and Zurich feel like a true extension of public space. Berlin launched the Flussbad project in 2012 with the ambition of turning a stretch of the Spree into a filtered, free public swimming pool with integrated wetland zones to clean the water naturally. Elsewhere, Melbourne's Yarra Pools project, driven by citizens and architects, is working to open up the river as a place for people to gather and play. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Yet despite these examples, many cities face stubborn barriers to becoming swimmable even when the water itself is clean. Historical legal frameworks often prohibit swimming in urban rivers by default, and insurance concerns and fear of litigation keep the authorities from opening access. Public perception lags behind reality, with lingering fears of dirty water and chemicals left by industry. In many cities, swimming spots cluster in wealthier areas, or come with hidden costs. Oumaima Ouaissa of Wavemakers United, an international non-profit, said: 'Every citizen should feel that urban waterways are theirs to experience and protect. Clean and safe urban waterways are not just environmental assets, they are vital spaces for connection, health and wellbeing.' Rotterdam's vice-mayor, Pascal Lansink-Bastemeijer, said: 'Rotterdam is a city shaped by water – and increasingly, reclaimed by it in the best possible way. This summit is not just about swimming – it's about restoring our relationship with water, and leading together toward cleaner, more livable cities for future generations.' The summit covered subjects including the right to swim and nature rights, waterway restoration and water quality, swimming communities, investment from public and private partnerships, water literacy, and international water diplomacy. Toby Robinson, a British Olympic swimmer attending the summit, said: 'Access to water should be a civil right, not a nice to have. Nothing is free in London, but here anyone can turn up and swim, for free, in the Rijnhaven and as a result the area is buzzing with energy. Local restaurants, cafes and bars are full; it isn't just healthy for the community, it is healthy for the local economy too. If swimmers are thriving, then their city is.' The Swimmable Cities alliance aims to establish a baseline to measure how swimmable urban waterways are worldwide, with specific criteria to benchmark waterway health, accessibility, biodiversity, and social impact. The process will allow cities to measure progress, share best practices, and accelerate the transformation of polluted or neglected waterways into safe and swimmable public spaces. 'This summit demonstrates that city swimming is not just possible, it's a right,' said Matt Sykes, a cofounder of the alliance. 'By the time a city is swimmable, it is more climate resilient, healthier and more equitable.'
