ENVIRONMENTAL leaders have warned that continued funding cuts will worsen the crisis facing Britain’s rivers, seas and lakes.

A coalition of groups including the GMB union, Surfers Against Sewage, World Wildlife Foundation, the Good Law Project, River Action and the RSPB is urging the government to increase funding for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) in its upcoming spending review.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, campaigners demand that regulators be adequately resourced.

“Now is the time for more investment in this already beleaguered sector,” it reads.

It highlighted that Labour promised to address water pollution in its manifesto, but that such commitments “simply won’t be met with yet more debilitating cuts to the enforcement agencies.”

Defra’s day-to-day spending is set to fall in real terms by 6.5 per cent between 2024-25 and 2025-26, according to a report by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Water companies discharged untreated sewage into waterways across England and Wales for 3.6 million hours last year.

Only 14 per cent of rivers have achieved “good ecological status.”

GMB national secretary Andy Prendergast said: “The shocking practice of sewerage discharges into our rivers is one that has gone on for far too long. 

“We need swift action to stop this abhorrent practice, with the industry — not customers or staff — forced to pay the price for clearing up their mess.”

River Action CEO James Wallace said: “The Prime Minister made bold promises to end the sewage scandal and restore Britain’s rivers, seas and lakes. But without properly funded regulators, it’s all dead in the water.”

Campaigners are also calling for greater support for farmers to transition to nature-friendly farming, noting that half of farms inspected between 2022-2024 were found to be non compliant with existing regulations.

RSPB CEO Beccy Speight said: “At a time when nature is in crisis, our government should be supporting farmers and landowners in preventing runoff and managing rivers to prevent soil erosion and flooding.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to deliver the spending review next Wednesday.

A Defra spokesperson said:“We don’t comment on budget speculation.”