Eight of England's water firms rated poor or needing improvement, says report

The Guardian reported that a joint assessment by the Environment Agency, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, Natural Resources Wales and Ofwat rated eight of England’s nine water companies as “poor” or “requiring improvement”. The findings come after the environment secretary, Dame Angela Eagle, summoned water industry leaders to Whitehall. Eagle told the sector that “people are sick of excuses”, adding that pollution levels remain high despite billions of pounds invested in the industry. The report indicated that environmental performance has worsened, not improved, across the major providers. Eagle’s remarks followed the release of the joint report, which highlighted ongoing shortcomings in meeting environmental standards.

The assessment reflects concerns that the sector’s investments have not translated into better water quality or reduced pollution, prompting heightened scrutiny from regulators and the government.

Why it matters

The rating shows that most of England’s water firms are failing to meet environmental standards despite significant investment, leading to government action.

Key details

Location

United Kingdom · Europe

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

29 Oct 2026, 22:09 IST

Key names

Eight of England, Angela Eagle, Whitehall, Dame Angela

Section

Business

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianEight of England’s nine water companies still failing on environment, report finds 29 Oct, 22:09

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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