The UK’s departure from the European Union promised a new chapter for environmental policy, yet the state of our waters tells a sobering story. Despite robust frameworks like the Water Framework Directive, 84 per cent of England’s waters fail ecological standards, while 100 per cent exceed chemical thresholds. From sewage scandals to mounting agricultural pressures, the challenges facing our rivers, lakes and seas have only intensified.

In this stocktake, authored by Ali Morse from the Wildlife Trusts, we examine how the years since Brexit have reshaped water policy across the UK, from political responses to sewage spills to emerging regulatory divergence between nations. We explore the UK government’s ambitious reform plans, and the recommendations of the independent water commission. But as new institutions take shape and billions are committed to water infrastructure, a critical question remains: will these reforms deliver the promised “water revolution,” or provide cover for weakening environmental ambition when the stakes have never been higher?