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.
England is the only country in the world with a fully privatised water system, and it shows. After a decade reporting on sewage spills and regulator failures, I’ve watched a slow-burning pollution crisis turn into a full-blown scandal.
Watershed uncovered a string of toxic pollution hotspots across Cumbria and Lancashire, with high levels of the banned cancer-causing “forever chemical” Pfos detected in rivers and groundwater at 25 sites.
From dry taps and flooded homes to collapsing coastlines, water crises aren’t freak events. They’re the predictable result of years of regulatory failure, ignored warnings and a system that does not know who is using our most vital resource.
Water-related violence has almost doubled since 2022 and little is being done to understand and address the trend and prevent new and escalating risks.
South East Water was warned of problems years before the taps ran dry, Watershed revealed. It was among many water companies that were warned by Defra, Ofwat and the Environment Agency about supplies and leakage.
Half the world’s 100 largest cities are experiencing high levels of water stress, with 38 of these sitting in regions of “extremely high water stress”, Watershed's analysis and mapping has shown.
The UK’s largest proposed datacentre is understating the scale of its planned water use by a factor of 50, according to our analysis.
Panel discussion on Roundtable, TRT World. Presented by Enda Brady with Dal Babu, Former Chief Superintendent at the Met Police, Leana Hosea from Watershed Investigations, and Lorenzo Buzzoni from Investigate Europe.
Watershed Investigations and Investigate Europe have created what experts say is the most comprehensive map and landfill risk assessment analysis of the region produced publicly to date. It reveals the statistics and hidden threats these waste sites pose to water, ecosystems, and communities continent-wide. The map will live in perpetuity on our dedicated mapping page, […]
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