MPs to inquire - How can water quality in UK rivers be improved and pollution minimised?

摘要

Water quality has implications across the whole ecological system, but pollution remains a major problem threatening the health of plant life and fish, and the human population who rely on our rivers for water and recreation. Last year, the Government admitted that only 16% of English rivers met good ecological status. Sewage is estimated to account for 55% of the rivers that are failing to reach this status. It is not just sewage discharge that is contributing to the concerning pollution of rivers. Agricultural runoff, plastic pollution, highways and urban runoff are also significant contributors. However, the scale of the problem is largely unknown as some pollution is not monitored - such as that from highways. The Committee considered agricultural runoff pollution in its inquiry 'UK Progress on Reducing Nitrate Pollution' in 2018, so this inquiry is focussed on other principal elements polluting our waterways.