United Utilities has published a road map showing how it will deliver cleaner rivers, beaches and lakes across the North West – the biggest investment of its kind in the UK.

Environmental charity Thames21 is calling on government to take immediate steps to ban plastic in wet wipes in order to help tackle this pollution ending up in the River Thames and in the wider natural environment - as it announces the results of the latest Big Wet Wipe Count.

John Russell, Senior Director of Strategy, Finance, and Infrastructure at Ofwat, has warned the water companies that it is “not acceptable to hide behind regulation or say they can't do anything until the next price review” to tackle current levels of pollution and wastewater discharges from their networks.