National Parks in England and Wales encompass some of the most biodiverse and important rivers in the country. But new research shows they are being failed by government and water regulators and are now under threat.

A new report from Campaign for National Parks, in partnership with The Rivers Trust, reveals that sewer overflows inside National Parks spill, on average, for more than twice as long those outside. Inside National Parks, the average number of hours spilling from a single sewer overflow was 549 - more than double the average from outside (266 hours).

Home to otters, salmon, wild trout, and some of the UK’s most treasured landscapes, these waterways should be protected to the highest standards, but more than half (57%) of rivers in National Parks fail to meet good ecological status.

Sewage spills, agricultural pollution, and toxic chemicals are risking even the country’s most iconic rivers.

Commenting Dr Rose O’Neill, Chief Executive, Campaign for National Parks:

“As home to some of the UK’s most precious and globally renowned waterways, National Parks should set the gold standard for clean and healthy rivers. You’d expect National Park freshwaters to be protected like the national treasures they are, but instead they are being ignored and neglected by Government, regulators and water companies. These are rivers loved by millions of people: if we can’t protect the jewels of our waterways, then we are failing the nation.”

“The fact that sewage overflows inside National Parks spill twice as long as those outside is scandalous. It’s the legacy of crumbling and outdated infrastructure that was never built to handle the reality of modern climate or the millions who visit the parks every year. The very rivers that should be the cleanest and most cherished are instead saddled with third-rate systems.”

“Government in England and Wales is in the midst of the biggest reform of the water sector in decades: they must not forget National Parks. It’s time to give these waterways the strongest legal protections, the highest standards, and the urgent investment they deserve.”

David Johnson, Technical Director, The Rivers Trust:

“All data tells a story, and unfortunately this data presents a tragic tale of underinvestment and mismanagement of the rivers that flow across our most iconic landscapes. This report makes clear that serious action is needed to secure and enhance protection for rivers in our National Parks, and to be even more ambitious in future so the cycle of pollution and destruction can be broken.”

The report highlights six rivers in particular danger: the Cleddau (Pembrokeshire), Wye (Peak District), Lymington (New Forest), Bure (Broads), Meon (South Downs) and Pulham (Exmoor). These cases reveal a stark pattern: even the UK’s most precious rivers are at risk.

In 2024, there were 254,808 hours sewage spilling into sensitive National Park rivers. This reflects aging and poorly maintained sewage infrastructure that is ill-designed and undersized to cope with actual resident and visitor populations. Many rural communities within National Parks are below the threshold resident population size where more than basic sewage treatment is legally required, meaning that sewage treatment technologies that are standard for larger communities elsewhere are not legally required for some treatment works inside National Parks. 

Local communities are working tirelessly to protect these waterways. National Park Authorities play an important role as local planning authorities and are active in a wide range of catchment management and river restoration projects but when it comes to tackling the biggest pressures, they have little power and are reliant on the water companies and water regulators to act. Without changes to legislation and legally binding requirements, National Park Authorities and communities are swimming against the current. 

Dr Rose O’Neill, Chief Executive, Campaign for National Parks:

“Earlier this year, the UK Government promised new rules to protect National Park rivers in England, but progress has stalled, and there’s growing doubt about when these protections will ever see the light of day. We must hold Government to their word to legally protect our most precious waterways”

With the biggest shake-up of water regulation in decades underway in England and Wales following the Independent Water Commission, Campaign for National Parks is calling for bold action from Ministers:

• Prioritise the Parks: Make National Parks a top priority in water reforms, with the highest ambitions for our most special rivers and a new mandate requiring new water regulators and water companies to act.
• Strengthen the Law: Set legally binding targets to clean up rivers, lakes, and streams in National Parks, including high status for iconic sites such as the Usk and the Broads. Fix storm overflows in National Parks by 2035 and ban toxic chemicals including damaging ‘spot-on’ flea treatments.
• Stop the Sewage: Upgrade sewage treatment works within National Parks so they are fit for purpose, supported by nature-based solutions and strong enforcement.
• Cut Farm Pollution: Tackle agricultural pollution through better regulation and incentives, with targeted action for water through farming schemes in England and Wales.
• Power Up National Park Authorities: Empower, support and fund National Park Authorities to play an even greater role in water and catchment management.

Responses to the report:

James Wallace, Chief Executive, River Action:

“We are dismayed, but not surprised, that rivers in our treasured National Parks are polluted. These waters should be the cleanest in the country, yet they are treated as open sewers by profit-driven water companies and poorly regulated industrial-scale agriculture. The system is broken. Ofwat has failed and must be replaced with a regulator that puts people and nature before dividends. The Environment Agency must be properly resourced to enforce the law. We also need to end the failed experiment of water company privatisation and transition to a model where they are run for public benefit. Alongside this, there must be investment in nature-friendly farming and ambitious river restoration. Our National Parks deserve nothing less – and the public will not tolerate more excuses.”

Vanessa Rowlands, Chair, National Parks England:
“Water is inextricably linked with many of our cherished National Parks and remains a lifeblood of countless Protected Landscapes. This research highlights that rivers in National Parks are three times more likely to be assessed as in good condition compared to outside our landscapes. This is in no small part down to the work of National Park Authorities, with communities, farmers, landowners and government agencies to improve habitats, restore peat, reduce pollution and tackle invasive species. We know there’s no single action and only concerted effort across our water systems and catchments will lift water quality to the high levels the public rightly expects.”

“We need to go further and faster in National Parks to meet the target of 30% of land being conserved for nature. Waterways are the cornerstone of our habitats. Yet, as the report illustrates, our efforts are hampered by poor infrastructure, lack of investment and weak regulation. We need government to, as promised, come forward with new legislation to prioritise action in our National Parks and Protected Landscapes, building on the duty on relevant authorities, including water companies, to seek to further National Parks’ statutory purposes.”

Andrew Blake, Chair, Tirweddau Cymru, Landscapes Wales:

“National Parks and National Landscapes are high value landscapes and we welcome the call to prioritise these special places for action. Designated Landscapes cover 25% of Wales and are home to sources of water for the biggest centres of population and benefit nature, climate and recreation. Underinvestment in sewage treatment is a significant issue in rural areas. Meanwhile, in many cases Designated Landscapes are impacted by activity in the wider river catchments upstream and outside of their boundary. However, it is important to recognise the work that is being done by Designated Landscape teams to engage and work with stakeholders and partners in those wider catchments, often with limited resources and jurisdiction. For example, the majority of the Cleddau River catchment falls outside the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park boundary. The National Park Authority as part of Tirweddau Cymru is working to improve the condition of the Cleddau through a range of actions, including through the Nutrient Management Board and engaging and supporting landowners and land managers as well as through education and awareness raising in schools and local communities."

Dr Mark Collins, Chair, Broads Society:

“The ‘Rivers at Risk’ report casts a cloud over the reputation of England’s most important protected wetland, the Broads. How can the home of a quarter of our threatened species, living in and amongst 200km of lakes and rivers, be dirtier than waterways in any of the other National Parks?”

“The Broads draw millions of visitors for walking, cycling, boating and birdwatching. They pay their dues and, along with the local economy that welcomes them, have every right to expect cleaner rivers. The Bure, with its headwaters in endangered chalk streams, is the Broads’ longest river, and, together with its tributaries, must get the attention it needs”

“Duties enshrined in the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023, require national and local government, water companies and regulators to protect the Broads and promote their enjoyment by the public. It’s a disgrace that these obligations are being flaunted and ignored. The Broads wetlands are recognised globally under the Ramsar Convention, but ‘Rivers at Risk’ shows that the UK falls well short of its legal obligations to use them wisely and maintain their ecological character through effective management and monitoring.”

Tom Usher, Chief Executive, Dartmoor Preservation Association:“We strongly support the recommendations in Campaign for National Park's 'Rivers at Risk' report. Most of Devon's major rivers rise on Dartmoor and their health is of paramount importance to the National Park and the rest of the county. South West Water and Government must do better to guarantee that our rivers, lakes and estuaries are clean for all and abundant with wildlife.”