Windermere: New data suggests that sewage pollution is getting worse

This month, the Love Windermere partnership published its action plan to improve water quality in Windermere. The partnership; a collaboration of stakeholders including the Environment Agency, Lake District National Park, United Utilities and the National Farmers Union; has set out a 33-point plan to address nutrient pollution through collaboration, focused on sewage systems, land use and mitigating flood risk. 

Rick Bailey, executive chair at Thwaites reportedly said, "There has been too much attention-grabbing hysteria about the subject of water quality in the lake, and now it is time to move on, be grounded in the facts and get behind actionable plans to address the evolving challenges that Lake Windermere is faced with.” 

Yet, it is difficult to “move on” when the facts on the ground present an ever-worsening picture.  

The Environment Agency (EA) recently published its yearly Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) for 2024 which assesses the performance of nine water and sewerage companies in England and Wales. It found that 2024 was the worst performing year for the sector since assessments began in 2011.  

The EA attributed this primarily to the high number of pollution incidents by all companies, with none achieving the EPA’s target. 

United Utilities had the third highest number of pollution incidents in the sector in 2024 and 68 of these were recorded in the Windermere catchment. This is equal to more than once a week, which is the highest level since at least 2019.  

This level of pollution poses a serious risk to Windermere, contributing to the growth of algal blooms which pose a risk to both its ecology and to human health. In August, the Big Windermere Survey found high levels of faecal bacteria across much of the lake throughout the summer. 

With sewage pollution in Windermere getting worse year on year, there is an urgent need for decisive action. This month Leigh Day was in court on behalf of River Action to challenge Ofwat over allegations that it has been allowing water companies to use funds ringfenced for new infrastructure improvements to achieve levels of compliance which should have been funded through previous bills; effectively charging customers twice. 

Leigh Day is also investigating a potential legal action against United Utilities over its pollution of Windermere and the resulting alleged impact on the local community. We are hosting a community meeting on Wednesday 26 November to hear from residents and discuss the role that legal action could play in assisting those affected by the pollution. 

To register your interest in a potential legal claim and to receive updates from us, please complete the online form here.