Environment Agency (EA) has called on water companies across England for improvements following the latest Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) for 2024, which ranked last year’s performance as the lowest since the process began in 2011.
The report, which was released today (Thursday, October 23), also noted a 60% increase in serious pollution incidents compared to the previous EPA for 2023.
The EPA reviews environmental performance of water companies every year, rating each company from one to four stars to highlight where improvement in performance is required.
In 2024, the nine water companies in England collectively achieved just 19 stars out of a possible 36, which is a decrease of six stars from the previous total in 2023 and also the lowest total on record.
EPA
The EPA’s star rating system reviews the performance of water companies based on many measures, such as pollution incidents, compliance with permits, and self-reporting.
Severn Trent Water were the only company who received a four star rating, while Thames Water ranked the lowest with a one star rating.
Thames Water, Southern Water, and Yorkshire Water were found to be responsible for 81% of serious pollution incidents this year, while Northumbrian Water and Wessex Water recorded none.Â
EA said: “The criteria has been regularly tightened over the years to reflect rising expectations for water company performance.
“Based on current criteria, we can see a steady trend of improvement since 2011, but these results mark a dip in that trend.
Environment Agency
Commenting on the report, the EA chair Alan Lovell stated that these “poor results must serve as a clear and urgent signal for change.”
He said: “What is needed now from every water company is bold leadership, a shift in mindset, and a relentless focus on delivery.
“We will support them however we can but we will continue to robustly challenge them when they fall short.”
The report cites a number of factors for the decline in performance, including the wet and stormy weather in 2024, lack of investment and poor maintenance of infrastructure, and also increased monitoring and inspection.
The EA stated that it will be investing in 500 additional staff “to ramp up its regulation” and help out with the target of delivering 10,000 water company inspections in 2025/2026.
Defra
The Secretary of State at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Emma Reynolds commented: “We are facing a water system failure that has left our infrastructure crumbling and sewage spilling into our rivers.
“Under this government, water company inspections and criminal investigations have reached record levels, uncovering the true extent of the problem.
“We are taking decisive action to fix it, including new powers to ban unfair bonuses, and swift financial penalties for environmental offences.
“We are delivering on the Plan for Change by driving long-term reform with £104 billion of private investment for infrastructure upgrades and a new, single water regulator.”
