UK rivers on ‘red alert’ as water firms face call for more hosepipe bans

Campaigners say our rivers are dying' after driest July in England for more than 100 years

Most of the UK's rivers are on red alert", according to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), as campaigners say our rivers are dying" and call for immediate nationwide hosepipe bans.

This summer, water companies have come under intense criticism for their apparent failure to plan for drought and deal with their leaking pipes. Sarah Bentley, the chief executive of Thames Water, received a 496,000 bonus last year, which is nearly double the performance-related payout for the previous year, and a salary increase to 750,000 from 438,000 in 2020-21, annual accounts show.