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Environment Agency pledges transformation of water regulation as EPA shows "modest improvements"

by Karma Loveday

The Environment Agency characterised English water and sewerage company Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) scores for 2022 as showing “modest improvements” on 2021.


Measured against the Agency’s four-star rating, four companies stayed the same, three improved and two deteriorated:

• Severn Trent Water – 4 stars, the same as the previous year

• Northumbrian Water – 3 stars, down from 4 stars

• United Utilities – 3 stars, down from 4 stars

• Yorkshire Water – 3 stars, up from 2 stars

• Anglian Water – 2 stars, the same as the previous year

• Thames Water – 2 stars, the same as the previous year

• Wessex Water – 2 stars, the same as the previous year

• Southern Water – 2 stars, up from 1 star

• South West Water – 2 stars, up from 1 star


This year’s report also found:

• serious pollution incidents reduced from 62 to 44. More than half were from the assets of Anglian Water and Thames Water – the agency has taken enforcement action against both companies;

• total pollution incidents were similar to 2021; and

• incident self-reporting was at 82% – the best since the start of the EPA in 2011. However, self-reporting on serious incidents was only 48%.”


Chief of Wildlife and Countryside Link, Richard Benwell, called the new EPAanother mark of shame for water companies” adding: “Changes are coming in a slow trickle, while pollution and leakage continue in torrents.” Water UK said the results demonstrate the need to further accelerate improvements in environmental performance.


The agency’s chair, Alan Lovell, took a more conciliatory tone than his predecessor, who announcing the 2021 EPA results called for jail terms for polluting bosses. Lovell said: “Regulators, water companies, government, eNGOs and many others all want the same thing: better environmental outcomes, including cleaner rivers and seas. We need to work together and take collective responsibility to achieve it.


“While there have been some modest improvements, it is unacceptable to still be seeing this level of pollution. We have seen a distinct culture shift from the water industry in recent months and that is welcome – but that must translate to profound, long-term change. The Environment Agency will play its part by transforming the way we regulate the sector.”


Elements included in the plan

• Creating a bigger specialised workforce to focus solely on water company regulation. By autumn this year nearly 100 officers will be


trained in carrying out more detailed audits of water companies to quickly identify issues and put improvement actions in place.

• Significantly increasing compliance checks for every company – making sure they are sticking to the permits agreed with the agency.

• Recruiting more data specialists to make better use of analytics and technology.

• Transforming huge quantities of monitoring data into stronger regulatory intelligence. That includes using data-driven analytics to map monitoring data against rainfall to detect potential dry weather operation of storm overflows. The agency said this will mean it can “quickly direct new specialist officers to any sites at risk and stop it happening”.



Water and sewerage companies' environmental performance assessment 2022



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