All of England's rivers and lakes polluted with chemicals, officials say

England's rivers, lakes and coastal waters remain in a challenging state with only around one in seven classed as being in good ecological condition, according to the first comprehensive assessment of their health in six years.

And no single waterway passed a separate test by the regulator for chemical pollution.

The Environment Agency (EA) said this is because legacy substances, such as heavy metals, and so-called 'forever chemicals', are building up.

Its chair acknowledged the country's waterways were "below standards" but said it was increasing enforcement action to tackle other issues like sewage spills.

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Data from the EA shows that while 15% of rivers are classed as good, fewer than 7% of lakes reached that level.

The biggest individual problem is phosphate - a nutrient from sewage and farm runoff - with around half of rivers still exceeding safe levels.

Despite a record £22bn earmarked for water company environmental improvements by 2030, the overall picture has changed little since 2019.

The government is on course to miss its legally binding target of restoring 77% of England's waters to good ecological status by 2027 - a goal the environmental watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection, has warned will be missed by a "considerable margin".

It's now investigating both the government and the Environment Agency over possible rule breaches.

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle said the figures "underline the need for wholesale change across the water sector".

She pointed to new laws the government has introduced to hold water companies to account and record investment. "We will drive forward a system that puts the public interest first," she said.

Water UK, which represents the water companies, said it was spending record amounts of money on improving the country's waterways.

"Water companies are investing £22bn in environmental improvements by 2030. This will help to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas."

Other types of pollution affecting England's water bodies include petrol, garden pesticides and contaminated water running off roads picking up microplastics and chemicals.

The regulator said some chemicals are challenging to tackle as they do not easily break down, and begin to accumulate.

But Prof Penny Johnes, a leading water quality scientist at the University of Bristol, told the BBC it was also a "failure to regulate effectively" the new chemicals entering rivers.

She pointed to 'forever chemicals'