Environmental investigative journalism nonprofit

All Our Work

Independent journalism on water, public health and the environment

WATERSHED partners with national and international media to run high impact investigations covering all issues affecting the freshwater and marine environment.

Rivers at risk if summer drought strikes

Rivers at risk if summer drought strikes

England faces an ecological disaster if a severe drought strikes, with water companies turning to rivers to avoid drinking water shortages. Analysis of water companies' plans reveals huge shortfall in the case of severe drought if no action is taken.

CLIMATE CRISIS WATER RESOURCES WILDLIFE
PUBLISHED IN:
LINKS:
• The Times
Mapping forever pollution across Europe

Mapping forever pollution across Europe

More than 17 000 sites all over Europe are contaminated by the 'forever chemicals' PFAS, an exclusive, months-long investigation from 18 European newsrooms. Watershed sourced multiple datasets and performed its own sampling to build up the UK picture.

CHEMICALS POLLUTION
LINKS:
• Forever Pollution Project
Is the UK absent from the fight against PFAS pollution?

Is the UK absent from the fight against PFAS pollution?

Watershed looks at PFAS pollution and why the UK is lagging behind the EU and the US in tackling the problem

CHEMICALS FRESHWATER POLLUTION
PUBLISHED IN:
LINKS:
• ENDS Report • ENDS Report
The scale of PFAS ‘forever chemical’ pollution

The scale of PFAS ‘forever chemical’ pollution

A major investigation focused on widespread pollution by ‘forever chemicals’ called PFAS. It launched on the front page of the Guardian and involved seven stories over three days.

CHEMICALS POLLUTION
PUBLISHED IN:
LINKS:
• The Guardian • The Guardian • The Guardian • The Guardian • The Guardian • The Guardian • The Guardian
Pollution in rivers, lakes, aquifers and seas

Pollution in rivers, lakes, aquifers and seas

Water bodies are under stress from legacy chemicals, emerging pollutants, pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, microplastics, industrial contaminants, nutrient overload and a lot more.

POLLUTION WATER RESOURCES
PUBLISHED IN:
LINKS:
• The Guardian • BBC World Service • The Guardian • The Guardian • The Guardian • The Guardian • The Guardian
The oil pipeline in the Great Lakes

The oil pipeline in the Great Lakes

An ageing oil pipeline crossing part of the Great Lakes has led to a standoff between the US state of Michigan and Canada. The outcome of the battle over Line 5, which delivers energy to the US Midwest and central Canada, will be viewed by many as a bellwether of how North America will balance its energy future with its environmental commitments.

DOCUMENTARY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FRESHWATER POLLUTION
PUBLISHED IN:
LINKS:
• BBC on Apple Podcasts • BBC World Service Radio • BBC News Online
Forever chemicals in drinking water

Forever chemicals in drinking water

Water from a supply containing high levels of toxic chemicals was pumped into the homes of more than 1,000 people. Cambridge Water admitted it removed a supply containing four times the regulatory limit of perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS), which was being blended with other supplies to provide water to the homes of customers in south Cambridgeshire.

CHEMICALS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FRESHWATER
PUBLISHED IN:
LINKS:
• The Guardian • BBC Radio 4 • The BBC • The Guardian
Evidence bolsters family’s claim that hydrogen cyanide from a landfill killed their son

Evidence bolsters family’s claim that hydrogen cyanide from a landfill killed their son

A family that has been fighting for seven years to prove that hydrogen cyanide from a landfill killed their son received a boost when incident logs from Public Health England apparently backing their claims were uncovered, prompting a local council to commit to taking a fresh look at the land surrounding the family’s home.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LAND USE POLLUTION
PUBLISHED IN:
LINKS:
• BBC London • The ENDS Report
Sewage dumping in British rivers

Sewage dumping in British rivers

Untreated sewage was dumped into England's rivers at least 372,544 times in 2021. Exposes of key elements of the sewage scandal, such as how the Environment Agency knew raw sewage was being illegally dumped into rivers, lakes and seas a decade ago.

FRESHWATER POLLUTION
PUBLISHED IN:
LINKS:
• The Guardian • The ENDS Report • BBC London • BBC London • The Guardian

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