The environmental performance of the nine water and wastewater companies has deteriorated for the second year in a row, according to the Environment Agency's latest annual  environmental performance report for 2019 published today.

The annual report rates each company in England from 1 star to 4 star, based on a range of measures including serious pollution incidents, pollution per km of sewer pipes and compliance with permits.

It found that:

• Severn Trent and Wessex Water achieved the highest level of performance with 4 star (industry leading)
• Thames, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water are rated as 3 star (good)
• Anglian, Northumbrian and South West Water are rated as 2 star (requiring improvement)
• Southern Water is the first company to be rated as1 star (poor) since 2015

Launching the report, Emma Howard Boyd, Environment Agency Chair said that last year’s report had made clear that performance was unacceptable across the sector, commenting:

“This comes soon after England’s shocking water classification results showed just 16% of water bodies meet the criteria for Good Ecological Status against 25 Year Environment Plan’s target of 75%”

According to the EA Chair, the sector as a whole has now moved further away from the performance expectations for 2015 to 2020 the Environment Agency set out in 2013; 4 out of the 9 water companies are now rated as poor or requiring improvement, the worst result since 2011.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

“Water companies have a responsibility to act as custodians of the environment and this report for 2019 shows that some are failing to take their obligations seriously. That is not good enough.

“We have the rightly ambitious target in our 25 Year Environment Plan to bring at least three quarters of our waters as close as possible to their natural state as soon as possible and are bringing forward a legally binding target on water quality in the Environment Bill. Our new Environmental Land Management scheme – replacing the EU CAP scheme – will also play a critical part in reducing some of the farming practices which pollute our waters.

“Certain water companies must step up and do better, which is why I will be meeting those who are falling short of our expectations to discuss how we can work together to drive better performance.”

South West Water has never got above a 2 star rating and the number of serious pollution incidents continued to plateau, although this was not geographically uniform: over half were due to Anglian Water and Thames Water.

In light of the results, both the Environment Secretary George Eustice and Emma Howard Boyd will be holding meetings in the coming weeks with all underperforming companies to discuss improving their poor performance and to make it clear that the Environment Agency expects much more.

This includes developing, publishing and implementing specific Pollution Incident Reduction Plans by the end of this year to reduce pollution incidents.

“We will closely follow the delivery of these plans and will apply tough regulation to ensure companies stick by them,” she added.

Beyond 2020 – “we need to transform the nation’s approach to water”

The online sections of the Detailed River Network say the length of river in England (that is draining to the sea, not including disconnected drains) is 240,631km. The government estimates England’s waters to be worth £39.5 billion. In England £5 billion is being spent annually to protect public health, improve the environment and prevent deterioration, for example through the upkeep of sewage treatment plants.

Annually, the Environment Agency have £62 per km of river to spend on non-charge funded catchment management activities, including environment monitoring, environment planning, working with catchment partnerships, farming inspections, and responding to pollution incidents (one every 45 minutes).

Emma Howard Boyd commented:

“The 25 Year Environment Plan’s ambition for clean and plentiful water is achievable but we need to transform the nation’s approach to water and provide visible cross-sector and independent leadership in water management, setting a vision for a water future and what is needed to deliver it.”

Despite the deterioration, the EA Chair struck a positive note, highlighting the fact that since the Environment Agency was established in 1995 serious water pollution incidents caused by water companies have been cut by 90%, from 522 in 1995 to 52 in 2019.

In addition, treated wastewater going back into rivers is much cleaner now (40% less phosphates, 70% less ammonia and 50% less cadmium and mercury) and we 47 billion litres of water a year have been returned back to the environment.

“These long term improvements happened because of dedication and investment from those we regulate, which is why the last 2 years’ EPA reports are so disappointing.”

However, there is room for optimism, according to Howard Boyd. She said:

“We know the sector can do better because some companies are. Severn Trent Water and Wessex Water have achieved the highest level of performance, and United Utilities were the best performing company for serious pollution incidents for the second year in a row. These 3 companies consistently score highly, as they rightly tell their shareholders.

“ It’s important to recognise good practice, not doing so risks alienating the dedication, expertise and investment we all need to learn from.”

Water UK - "data shows there is work to be done"

Responding to the report, Water UK Chief Executive Christine McGourty said:

“Over the last decade, water companies have taken significant steps forward in tackling pollution in our rivers and waterways, with excellent results in many areas and some companies achieving the highest levels of performance. And the whole industry is determined to do more.

“There are examples of stand-out performance in the data now published for the last 12 months, with some achieving four-star environmental performance and the majority of companies rated as good or better. Across the industry serious pollution incidents have fallen by 90% since the 1990s.

“But the data shows there is work to be done, and in an industry that’s committed to the highest environmental standards, water companies will be doubling efforts to share the very best practice, collaborate, innovate and work with all those involved to bring about continued improvements for the environment and our customers.”

Click here to access the Environment Agency annual environmental performance report online