The Environment Agency enforces UK water, flood and environmental rules, protecting people and ecosystems while supporting sustainable use of resources.
Andy Burnham is contesting Makerfield in a by-election triggered by Josh Simons’ departure. Polls show a tight race with Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon; Restore Britain’s Rebecca Shepherd is a potential spoiler. Burnham signals a bid to lead Labour and possibly challenge Sir Keir Starmer, arguing for greater public control and devolution.
South East Water faces ongoing outages amid a heatwave, with thousands without water across Kent and Sussex. Regulators warn of pressure on resilience and investment plans, while councils pledge new scrutiny and partnerships to improve reliability. Pennon and Ofwat are central to the evolving response.
Recent heavy rains in Kenya have caused deadly floods, with 81 deaths and thousands displaced. Meanwhile, England's water levels remain stable after a wetter-than-normal winter, but drought warnings persist due to dry March conditions. Authorities in both regions continue monitoring and responding to ongoing weather impacts.
A major fish kill has been reported in the Chattahoochee River south of Atlanta, with thousands of dead fish and ongoing investigations into the cause, while Europe-wide dam removals have reached record levels in 2025, aiming to restore ecological connectivity.
The River Avon at Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury has been deemed unsafe for bathing after tests show sewage pollution from upstream works. The Environment Agency advised against swimming from May 28; the advisory remained until June 1 as residual contamination cleared. Wessex Water says the issue stems from a blocked sewer, with improvements planned, including near-real-time AI water monitors.