On Sunday, thousands of people gathered in central London to demand stronger action to keep the UK’s rivers and seas clean. The March for Clean Water was promoted as a one-time event aimed at urging the government to enforce laws addressing water pollution. Participants insisted that all polluting industries must improve their infrastructure and reduce water waste.
The Environment Agency reported a staggering 3.6 million hours of spills in 2023, which is more than double the amount from the previous year. Steve Reed, the Secretary for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, expressed that he shares the public’s anger over the situation and has initiated immediate actions to address what he termed a “pollution scandal.”
A representative from Ofwat, the water industry regulator, stated:
“Companies will be held to account for past failings,” noting that enforcement action has been initiated against all wastewater companies.
While it is permissible for water companies to release untreated sewage during heavy rains to prevent flooding, there have been cases where this practice occurred prematurely—potentially making these spills illegal during dry conditions. The contents of these spills often include human waste, wet wipes, and sanitary products, which pose serious risks to local wildlife and recreational users of UK waterways.
The Clean Water March was coordinated by 140 organizations, starting at Albert Embankment and culminating in a rally at Parliament Square. Participants traveled from various regions across the UK, with organizers reporting that 8,000 people registered for this significant event.
Sarah Walsh from Cornwall highlighted how pollution directly impacts her work as an open-water swimming coach:
“I can’t take people swimming if the sea’s got any form of pollution in it… It affects our well-being as well because we can’t get in the sea.”
Another participant, Katherine Keyte from Poole and Bournemouth, who joined the march for the first time, expressed her frustrations:
“The frustration is around everything… It is quite emotional looking and seeing the amount and type of people from every walk of life.”
Nature broadcaster Chris Packham was also present, expressing his disappointment with recent budget announcements that overlooked environmental issues:
“I think this is very much a time when we want to see our politicians putting planet first.”
As part of his commitment to addressing these issues, Steve Reed announced new laws aimed at banning “unfair bonuses” for polluting water executives within 70 days of winning a general election.
A spokesperson for Water UK acknowledged support for the March’s goals and emphasized that the current system is “not working”:
“No sewage spill is ever acceptable… Water companies want to invest a record £108 billion to ensure our water supply’s future.”
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