Environment Agency can’t afford to protect UK water bodies, OEP finds

The Office for Environmental Protection has concluded the UK’s public body for nature has a record of ‘deeply concerning failures’ to implement regulations on waterways and coastlines. 

The organisation – an independent regulator established in 2021 as part of the Environment Act – has published a damning assessment of policy and regulatory effectiveness, with a focus on water pollution. Among other things, it conducted a review of the Water Framework Directive Regulations for England, and how these are enforced by Defra and the Environment Agency [EA].

‘The report finds that Government and the EA are currently not on track to meet the Environmental Objectives. The Office for Environmental Protection’s [OEP] worst case assessment would see just 21% of surface waters in Good Ecological state by 2027, representing only a 5% improvement on the current situation,’ the analysis reads. 

‘We have found that, while the relevant law here is broadly sound, it is simply not being implemented effectively. This means it is not delivering as intended and, as a consequence, most of our open water is likely to remain in a poor state in the years ahead unless things change. This is deeply concerning,’ Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection, commented. ‘As in so many other aspects of the environment, government must now ensure substantial funding for a wider range of specific action, at pace and with ambition.’

The biggest concern is overall lack of funding, preventing the Environment Agency from functioning effectively. However, a subsequent press release from Defra has flagged issues with these claims. OEP’s belief that ‘most’ open water bodies are unlikely to improve under the current regime is ‘misleading’. Official figures show just 17% of water bodies are in a poor state. However, 63% only ranked as ‘average’, and a mere 16% are considered to be in a ‘good’ state. 

Elsewhere, Defra has also argued regulator Ofwat is reviewing a £96billion proposal from the water industry for a huge network upgrade and modernisation. This would far exceed the calculated cost of achieving OEP targets, valued at £51billion. Nevertheless, at the time of writing, £6.2billion has been green-lit really for the EA between now and 2027, significantly less than what’s required. 

‘The OEP report confirms what Prospect has been saying for some time, that the Environment Agency is simply not sufficiently well-funded to adequately fulfil its regulatory obligations,’ said Mike Clancy, General Secretary of the Prospect professional union. ‘Years of insufficient funding and pay restraint have seen a disastrous loss of experience and skills piling pressure and workload on those remaining and leading to a recruitment and retention crisis. Our regulators are vital if we are to protect our natural environment. You simply can’t get the results you need when you do things on the cheap.’

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