Whistleblower: EA Ignores 98% of Serious Pollution

New figures obtained via freedom of information requests indicate a dramatic rise in the downgrading of serious pollution incidents by water companies in England. A whistleblower revealed that of 2,778 serious pollution events reported in 2024, 98% were reclassified as minor incidents by the Environment Agency (EA), with officers only attending a fraction of these. This represents a nearly 1,500% increase in such downgrades compared to 2021.

The whistleblower expressed concern that water companies continue to influence attendance at pollution sites. He noted a shift from 15 years ago when officers were encouraged to investigate and enforce pollution issues on-site. The EA's budget for water regulation includes significant income from water companies through permit charges and enforcement levies.

This funding model, where water companies contribute to the budget of agency enforcers, raises concerns about a conflict of interest. The whistleblower suggested this close relationship might lead the regulator to loosen its oversight. He previously worked for the agency for nine years, aiming to highlight the state of the water industry and left in January after facing suspension and restricted duties.

In 2021, the EA's chief executive cautioned staff against speaking to the media, a warning criticized by a whistleblowing charity as counterproductive to encouraging open communication. The whistleblower first raised concerns in 2017 regarding the handling of a report on sewage sludge toxicity. This report, eventually published by Greenpeace in 2020, found dangerous pollutants in sewage waste intended for crops, but its official publication was stalled, prompting the whistleblower to share findings with Greenpeace.