Liz Gyekye

Only 14.3% of England’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters are in good ecological health, according to new figures released by the Environment Agency. It is clear that the way we manage our water systems must change. Improving the quality and overall health of our waterways is essential. Recent droughts, exacerbated by the climate crisis, have highlighted the urgent need to make our rivers more resilient so they can withstand the growing impacts of climate change.

The Mayor of London’s Clean and Healthy Rivers Plan represents a significant opportunity to restore London’s waterways as thriving natural assets for people and wildlife. For more than 22 years Thames21 has been taking action for healthier rivers across London and the Thames basin. For too long our city’s rivers have been neglected and polluted.

Recent figures published in The Times have shown that Thames Water was responsible for almost a third of the water sector’s most harmful pollution incidents in 2025. A Thames21 spokesman said: “The scale of serious pollution incidents linked to Thames Water is deeply concerning. Preventing sewage pollution at source must be a priority, and water companies need to invest far more urgently in the infrastructure required to protect river health.