A new report is warning that that waterbodies and freshwater habitats across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being devastated by poor water quality caused by agricultural waste, raw sewage, and pollution from abandoned mines.

The Troubled Waters report was commissioned by a partnership of environmental charities including the RSPB, the Rivers Trust and the National Trust.

According to an online YouGov poll, 88% of those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland agree freshwater habitats are a “national treasure” and 87% want more to be done to protect them 

In England, only 14% of rivers meet standards for good ecological status, with less than half achieving these standards in Wales. In Northern Ireland, only 31% of water bodies are classified as good or high quality. The poor health of many of our waterways has a significant impact on nature, with many species in decline and some facing extinction.  

The Troubled Waters report details seven case studies including Upper Lough Erne in Northern Ireland, the Norfolk Broads in England, and Cardigan Bay in Wales, which have been designated as sites of special importance for nature. 

The report says the sites are not receiving the protection they should be and wildlife is suffering as a result.

Some of the UK’s most iconic and threatened species such as otters, the swallow tail butterfly and salmon depend upon these sites – however, widespread failure to control pollution has ruined the water quality of the sites.

As part of the report, the authors also commissioned online polling from YouGov. Most people surveyed (88%) agreed the UK’s lakes, rivers and streams are a “national treasure” and nearly nine in ten (87%)  in England, Wales and Northern Ireland agreed that it is important that we do more to help the UK’s freshwater ecosystems.

Wildlife was an important draw for many of the people surveyed with over three-quarters of the public spotting at least one of six iconic freshwater species. Dragonflies were spotted along waterways by nearly three-quarters of those surveyed, while 4% have seen a beaver.

However, the poll also revealed that almost half of those surveyed believe the UK’s waterways are in good condition while just 10% identified agricultural pollution as the biggest issue facing water quality in the UK.

RSPB's Deputy Director of Policy, Jenna Hegarty said: 

“Nature is in crisis and the incredible freshwater wildlife people marvelled at as they explored our countryside this summer is a fraction of what should be there. It is disturbing how it has become so normal for our waterways to be polluted and contaminated, and that many people do not realise there is something wrong.  

“Governments must demonstrate leadership and act with urgency and ambition to bring our waterways back from the brink of collapse and revive our world. Without this some our best loved species face an increasingly uncertain future.”  

Although plastic pollution is an emerging threat to freshwater ecosystems, poorly regulated use of pesticides and fertilisers in farming is one of the key drivers behind water pollution in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sewage and storm overflows are “contaminating our water on a horrifying scale”

The report says that sewage and storm overflows are also “contaminating our water on a horrifying scale” with water companies in discharging raw sewage into rivers 400,000 times in England and 100,000 times in Wales in 2020 despite laws stipulating this should happen only under exceptional circumstances. Chemical run off from mines has also polluted 1,500km of rivers in England alone.  

The report also calls for UK governments to urgently introduce measures to slash pesticide and excess fertiliser use in farming by switching to regenerative practises, ban raw sewage from reaching our rivers, introduce systemic change to the planning approval system and boost funding to agencies responsible for monitoring and enforcing environmental regulations.

Without significant and urgent action some of our best loved species face a perilous future, the report said.   

Mark Lloyd, CEO of The Rivers Trust said the Rivers Trust stands alongside the RSPB in calling for systemic change to planning processes and boosting funding to environmental agencies.