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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Helena Horton Environment reporter

England’s rivers to remain in poor state as EU laws ignored post-Brexit, says watchdog

Close-up of polluted water on the River Thames bank at Maidenhead, with rubbish caught in plants
A report by the Office for Environmental Protection states that the aim for all rivers to attain ‘good’ ecological status by 2027 will not be met at the current rate. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock

England’s rivers are likely to remain in a poor state for years to come because the government is failing to put in place EU clean water laws post-Brexit, the watchdog has found.

When Britain was a member of the EU, the government was required to follow the water framework directive (WFD), standards for waterways that have been credited with cleaning up Europe’s dirty water.

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