British rivers are being used as 'open sewers' and the Government clean-up of the UK's waterways is failing, warns charity WWF
- Environment Agency says 75 per cent of rivers in England will be clean by 2027
- This is by EU standards, which means they're largely unaffected by human spoil
- However, experts believe this is unrealistic and the current goal can't be reached
Rivers across the UK are being used as open sewers and not enough is being done to protect and clean them.
That's the stark claim made by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), who say Government targets to clean-up the nation's waterways are unrealistic.
It comes as The Environment Agency says three-quarters of UK rivers will be in good condition by 2027.
According to data from the Environment Agency, the current number is just 14 per cent.
Shockingly, that figure is just three per cent for the Thames basin district, which covers London, Northamptonshire and the Cotswolds.
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![Disparity: According to data from the Environment Agency, just 14 per cent England's rivers are in good condition - which is way off the government's aim of 75 per cent by 2027](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/08/22/10/17560430-7382687-image-a-9_1566464789138.jpg)
Disparity: According to data from the Environment Agency, just 14 per cent England's rivers are in good condition - which is way off the government's aim of 75 per cent by 2027
One of the biggest reasons for this is that human waste is often allowed to discharge into British waters.
Dave Tickner, chief freshwater adviser at WWF, told the BBC: 'Our rivers are the lifeblood of the countryside - vital for wildlife and people, as well as our economy.
'As we prepare to leave the EU, the UK Government must fast-track flagship legislation to better protect and restore our waterways.
'[They must also] invest in effective monitoring and enforcement to ensure water companies and agricultural industry can no longer use our rivers as open sewers.'
In a bid to improve water quality, the European Union recently implemented a Water Framework Directive. This asked their member nations to grade rivers as poor, moderate, good and high.
'Good is defined as being relatively unaffected by human waste and pollution, such as litter, while 'high' refers to streams in remote areas.
![Policy: In a bid to improve water quality, the European Union recently implemented a Water Framework Directive, which asks member nations to grade rivers between poor and high](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/08/22/10/17561446-7382687-image-a-10_1566466400259.jpg)
Policy: In a bid to improve water quality, the European Union recently implemented a Water Framework Directive, which asks member nations to grade rivers between poor and high
The UK government has previously said they'll have 75 per cent of rivers in England - plus those across the Scottish and Welsh borders - to be deemed 'good'.
However, they've already showed signs of revising this ambitious aim.
Later this year it will host a consultation on 'challenges and choices', the BBC add. Instead, they will review their target based on 'what can realistically be achieved'.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency is yet to respond to MailOnline's request for comment.
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