There is no requirement currently for water companies to sample and publish data on the quality of water entering their waste water treatment plants. However, they are required to sample treated effluents from their plants which are discharged to the environment. These samples are analysed and assessed for compliance against protective environmental permit requirements. This information is reported to the Environment Agency and published on GOV.UK.

However, a new requirement in S. 82 of the Environment Act 2021 requires sewerage undertakers to continuously monitor the quality of the receiving water upstream and downstream of their assets. This will allow sewerage undertakers to assess the impact of discharges from their assets on the receiving watercourse. The requirement covers both storm overflows and the treatment works discharges and is being introduced in 2025.

Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Programme - provisional technical guidance for sewerage undertakers (publishing.service.gov.uk).

The results of water quality sampling by the Environment Agency at designated bathing waters in England are displayed on the Environment Agency’s Swimfo website: https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/. Local authorities are required to provide information about each bathing water through signage in the vicinity of the site, including the site’s current bathing water quality classification and any advice against bathing which has been issued there. Signs often include a link to water sampling information on the Swimfo website.

Defra will continue to reflect on changes in how and where people use bathing waters, including new evidence where it exists around when and where people use bathing waters, to feed into future bathing water policy development.

The number of bathing waters in England meeting the ‘excellent’ (highest) standard in 2022 was 72.1%, which is the highest since new more stringent standards were introduced in 2015.

This is an increase of nearly 21 percentage points compared to 2010, when only 51.3% of bathing waters met the highest standard then in force. The Environment Agency works closely with local stakeholders at all designated bathing waters to drive water quality improvements.

During the bathing water season (May to September) the Environment Agency regularly monitors the bathing water quality at every designated site, resulting in the annual classifications. Alongside this the Environment Agency also issues daily pollution risk forecasts and warnings throughout the bathing water season, advising when there is likely to be reduced water quality. Defra will continue to reflect on changes in how and where people use bathing waters, including new evidence and technologies where these exist, to feed into future bathing water policy development.

Under the Environment Act 2021, the Government will require sewerage undertakers wholly or mainly in England to report on discharges from storm overflows in near-real time by spring 2025. Furthermore, in April, we also launched our consultation on Continuous Water Quality Monitoring and Event Duration Monitoring. This outlines the Government’s proposals to enhance the monitoring of storm overflow and final effluent discharges. The Government’s response to this consultation was issued on 14 September 2023. Water companies are now taking forward plans to implement this programme from 2025.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate commissioned research into pharmaceuticals in drinking water in 2007 (Desk based review of current knowledge on pharmaceuticals in drinking water and estimation of potential levels), which was followed up by a small-scale survey in 2011. Benzoylecogonine, carbamazepine (CBZ), arbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (carbamazepine epoxide; CBZ-EP), ibuprofen and naproxen were detected in drinking water. The Inspectorate commissioned further research in 2014 (Toxicological evaluation of pharmaceuticals in drinking water) which carried out a risk assessment of the pharmaceuticals measured in the previous study. Both concluded that the levels detected in drinking water are not anticipated to pose an appreciable risk to public health.

The Environment Agency does not assess impact of substances grouped by their intended use but considers either the risk of individual substances to the environment or groups of substances with similar environmental impacts, for example endocrine disrupting properties. Data can be found at: Defra Data Services Platform(opens in a new tab).

As the GB regulator for REACH, HSE has closely supported the development of a number of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines on in vitro toxicity testing which are recognised as the international standard. These tests are applicable for testing on a diverse range of chemical substances which can include cosmetic product ingredients. Other methods such as predictive computer modelling can also be used as appropriate.

Modern alternatives mean there are opportunities to design non-animal testing strategies for these chemicals so that worker and environmental safety is unlikely to be compromised, and potentially enhanced. In this way, working with industry, the Government is seeking to improve safety by the application of new non-animal science and technology.

All English bathing water samples are analysed by the Environment Agency’s Starcross laboratory.

The Environment Agency’s Starcross laboratory which analyses all of the English bathing water samples holds UKAS ISO 17025 accreditation.

The Environment Agency operates and maintains assets for flood and coastal risk management purposes with a value of £26 billion. These assets reduce the risk of flooding to 1.8 million households in England and provide an estimated reduction in annual average flood damages of £2.8 billion. In 2022/23 the Environment Agency is planning to spend £200m maintaining flood risk assets.

The Environment Agency routinely inspect 240,000 of its own and other Risk Management Authority assets, with 175,000 assets inspected annually and others every 18 to 60 months depending on their flood risk classification. These inspections monitor the condition of assets, risk to public safety and ensure legal compliance. Asset repairs identified through inspection are prioritised to minimise potential flood risk. Where there is immediate danger of flood or risk to life, emergency repairs will be undertaken straight away. The Environment Agency also work with 3rd party asset owners to ensure the condition of their assets is understood and that repairs are undertaken as necessary.

Environment Agency maintained flood and coastal risk management assets, such as access bridges, reservoirs, significant structures and gauging stations have regular specialist inspections and are regularly tested for correct operation.

Details of the EA’s Asset Information and Maintenance Programme can be found on DATA.GOV.UK.

My officials are currently undertaking a review of bathing water policy in England.

This is a devolved matter, and so, it would not be appropriate to respond on this issue.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates only to locations in England, (a) and (f).

These landfill sites are regulated by their respective local authorities, rather than the Environment Agency.

(a) In July 2010, Herefordshire County Council requested the EA undertake a comprehensive assessment of the former Sutton Walls landfill site. The site was deemed to meet potential Special Site criteria under Part 2a of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990, as there was a risk to potable water supplies. The EA used Contaminated Land Capital Funds to inspect the site. The investigation found that there were no significant contaminant linkages associated with the site and the EA advised HCC that the site did not meet the definition of contaminated land under Part 2a of the EPA 1990.

(f) In 2008, Telford & Wrekin Council (TWC) carried out an investigation of Stoneyhill landfill, in accordance with its obligations under Part 2a of the EPA 1990. The EA offered support and advice through this investigation. The investigation found no significant pollution to controlled waters so TWC concluded that the site did not meet the definition for being contaminated land under Part 2a of the EPA 1990.

The Environment Agency (EA) took water samples at Seaham Beach on the following dates of the current bathing season:

The EA took water samples at Seaham Hall Beach on the following dates of the current bathing season:

We have awarded funding for a five-year badger vaccination programme in East Sussex. The scheme, which will see vaccination deployed by the farming community, will help refine future delivery models for deploying large scale farmer-led vaccination schemes.

This year we also intend to undertake government-funded badger vaccination in an area where four-year intensive badger culling has ended, with ongoing surveillance of the disease in badgers in the area. We will continue to bolster our capability to deploy even more badger vaccination in post-cull areas from 2022.

By 2025 it is our aim to have significantly expanded badger vaccination across land where four-year intensive badger culling has ended. Through this we will gain a better understanding of the practicalities of deployment in a reduced badger population, as well as the effect of badger vaccination on reducing disease spread to cattle.

The Government has developed a 'Train the Trainer' course to enable experienced cage-trappers and lay vaccinators to qualify as trainers. This scheme is designed to increase the number of certified trainers who can then train new lay-vaccinators and trappers in localised training hubs. This alleviates pressure on the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), who to date have been the sole training provider, enabling more lay people to qualify as badger vaccinators than ever before.

Our world-leading cattle vaccination trials are set to begin this summer in England and Wales, marking the latest milestone in our aim to achieve officially TB free (OTF) status for England by 2038. This has been made possible by a significant scientific breakthrough by APHA in developing a new skin test that can detect infected among vaccinated cattle (a DIVA test) and is a major step forwards in our battle against bovine TB. As wider preventive measures like cattle vaccines are introduced, we will also accelerate other elements of our strategy and start to phase out badger culling in England, as no one wants to continue the cull of a protected species indefinitely.

From 12 July the policy for mandatory interferon gamma (IFN-γ) blood testing of cattle in the High Risk Area and parts of the Edge Area of England will be changing, to focus our efforts on those herds that suffer a new TB breakdown within 18 months of the end of a previous incident. By the end of this year, APHA will also be opening a new IFN-γ testing laboratory in Thirsk to better cope with the projected increasing demand for this supplementary cattle TB test.

Also from July, most cattle herds in the counties of the High Risk Area of the West of England will undergo routine surveillance for TB using the tuberculin skin test every six months instead of annually.

Further information about these two forthcoming cattle TB testing policy changes can be found on the TB Hub:

https://tbhub.co.uk/tb-policy/england/refinements-to-the-interferon-gamma-testing-policy-in-the-high-risk-and-edge-area-of-england/

https://tbhub.co.uk/tb-policy/england/six-monthly-surveillance-testing-of-cattle-herds-in-the-high-risk-area/

Under the terms of the Chemicals Annex of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, exchanges of non-confidential information between the UK and the EU will need the agreement of both parties. This could potentially include study summaries relating to animal testing, but that would need to be agreed with the EU and will depend on the status of the studies. We will continue to work with the EU on how the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement will be put into operation going forward

UK REACH retains both the fundamental approach and key principles of REACH with its aims of ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment and enhancing competitiveness and innovation. This includes the “last resort” principle on animal testing.

This means that under UK REACH, we will recognise the validity of any animal tests on products that have already been undertaken and so avoid the need for further testing. The grandfathering of all existing GB-held EU REACH registrations into the UK system will further avoid the need to duplicate animal testing associated with re-registration

We are determined that there should be no need for any additional animal testing for a chemical that has already been registered, unless it is subject to further evaluation that shows the registration dossier is inadequate or there are still concerns about the hazards and risks of the chemical, especially to human health.

The Biocidal Products Regulation and the Plant Protection Product Regulation both contain mandatory data sharing provisions to avoid duplicative animal testing which are maintained in retained EU law and apply in Great Britain.

Under the terms of the Chemicals Annex of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, exchanges of non-confidential information between the UK and the EU will need the agreement of both parties. This could potentially include study summaries relating to animal testing, but that would need to be agreed with the EU and will depend on the status of the studies. We will continue to work with the EU on how the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement will be put into operation going forward

UK REACH retains both the fundamental approach and key principles of REACH with its aims of ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment and enhancing competitiveness and innovation. This includes the “last resort” principle on animal testing.

This means that under UK REACH, we will recognise the validity of any animal tests on products that have already been undertaken and so avoid the need for further testing. The grandfathering of all existing GB-held EU REACH registrations into the UK system will further avoid the need to duplicate animal testing associated with re-registration

We are determined that there should be no need for any additional animal testing for a chemical that has already been registered, unless it is subject to further evaluation that shows the registration dossier is inadequate or there are still concerns about the hazards and risks of the chemical, especially to human health.

The Biocidal Products Regulation and the Plant Protection Product Regulation both contain mandatory data sharing provisions to avoid duplicative animal testing which are maintained in retained EU law and apply in Great Britain.

Under the terms of the Chemicals Annex of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, exchanges of non-confidential information between the UK and the EU will need the agreement of both parties. This could potentially include study summaries relating to animal testing, but that would need to be agreed with the EU and will depend on the status of the studies. We will continue to work with the EU on how the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement will be put into operation going forward

UK REACH retains both the fundamental approach and key principles of REACH with its aims of ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment and enhancing competitiveness and innovation. This includes the “last resort” principle on animal testing.

This means that under UK REACH, we will recognise the validity of any animal tests on products that have already been undertaken and so avoid the need for further testing. The grandfathering of all existing GB-held EU REACH registrations into the UK system will further avoid the need to duplicate animal testing associated with re-registration

We are determined that there should be no need for any additional animal testing for a chemical that has already been registered, unless it is subject to further evaluation that shows the registration dossier is inadequate or there are still concerns about the hazards and risks of the chemical, especially to human health.

The Biocidal Products Regulation and the Plant Protection Product Regulation both contain mandatory data sharing provisions to avoid duplicative animal testing which are maintained in retained EU law and apply in Great Britain.

Under the terms of the Chemicals Annex of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, exchanges of non-confidential information between the UK and the EU will need the agreement of both parties. This could potentially include study summaries relating to animal testing, but that would need to be agreed with the EU and will depend on the status of the studies. We will continue to work with the EU on how the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement will be put into operation going forward

UK REACH retains both the fundamental approach and key principles of REACH with its aims of ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment and enhancing competitiveness and innovation. This includes the “last resort” principle on animal testing.

This means that under UK REACH, we will recognise the validity of any animal tests on products that have already been undertaken and so avoid the need for further testing. The grandfathering of all existing GB-held EU REACH registrations into the UK system will further avoid the need to duplicate animal testing associated with re-registration

We are determined that there should be no need for any additional animal testing for a chemical that has already been registered, unless it is subject to further evaluation that shows the registration dossier is inadequate or there are still concerns about the hazards and risks of the chemical, especially to human health.

The Biocidal Products Regulation and the Plant Protection Product Regulation both contain mandatory data sharing provisions to avoid duplicative animal testing which are maintained in retained EU law and apply in Great Britain.