Environment Agency vows to ramp up water checks

The Environment Agency will transform how it regulates the water sector by “significantly” increasing its inspections to ensure compliance by companies.

Chair of the organisation, Alan Lovell, said water had been “a huge area of focus” for the organisation in 2022-23 and promised to step up what the Agency did to protect and enhance waterways in the coming year.

To do this, Lovell said that the regulator will be investing in “new specialist officers, data and tools which will significantly increase the time we are able to spend on regulating the water industry”.

Lovell’s comments are made within the Environment Agency’s annual accounts, which show that the regulator exceeded its target to improve 2,058km of waterbodies over the year. It managed 112% of this goal at 2,130km including enhancements made by partners the Countryside Stewardship Programme that incentivises farmers and land managers to protect the environment. This work including addressing diffuse pollution and surface water flooding.

Lovell also called on all stakeholders to play their respective roles to deliver the government’s Plan for Water and get the maximum benefits from the upcoming price review where investment needs are dominated by environmental improvement spending.

“Together we can secure the greatest ever investment in our water environment. This will not fix all of the problems immediately, but it will enable significant long-term change and better environmental outcomes,” he said.

Philip Duffy, who has been chief executive since the summer after James Bevan left the organisation, said the Agency and its staff are focused on the water environment.

He said the regulator was concentrating its existing and new resources on water quality and supply. In 2022-23 it carried out 803 water company inspections, against a target of 500 to ensure compliance and identify any issues that may lead to pollution.

He added that some activities have been impacted by soaring inflation rates and flood protection capital expenditure “will need to reset the programme” following engagement with the Department for environment, food and rural affairs.

Elsewhere the Agency failed on its ambition for a diverse workforce. It sought to have 15% of its staff from black, Asian and minatory backgrounds, but BAME staff only made up 5% of employees.

Exit questionnaires indicated that BAME leavers had the same reasons for not continuing to work at the regulator as those from white backgrounds: insufficient salary (34%), job dissatisfaction (28%) and wanting a career change (25%).

Environment Agency staff across England and Wales took industrial action this year over pay and conditions.

In April, some staff received enforced pay rises to avoid the EA being in breach of minimum wage laws that made £10.42 the minimum hourly rate from 1 April.

Recruitment and retention has been a challenge for the Agency with uncompetitive pay cited by some as a reason for not attracting talent. A recruitment drive added 2,000 staff to the organisation in 2021-22.

The regulator also aimed for a 50% female executive team, but fell short at 48%.