On February 13, 2026, the Environment Agency announced it is deploying new specialist teams to catch polluters and protect rivers in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. These local teams will patrol waterways like Prittle Brook and the Thames Estuary to investigate pollution incidents and carry out unannounced inspections.
This move is part of a major national expansion that has seen the agency’s enforcement workforce grow from 41 roles in 2023 to 195 by March 2026. Five of these new teams are dedicated to the Anglia region, where they will specifically monitor the performance of Anglian Water.
The extra patrols follow concerns over local water quality after Shoebury Common lost its Blue Flag status in 2025 because of bacteria found in the water. According to records from the Environment Agency, the local water provider currently holds a two-star environmental rating and recorded 482 pollution incidents in 2024.
The cost of these new enforcement teams will be covered by the water companies themselves under a polluter pays system rather than using public money. To help improve the situation, Anglian Water is also spending 105 million pounds on a project to manage surface water and reduce sewage spills around the city.
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