The Guardian view on Britain’s dirty waterways: a failure of industry and regulation | Editorial

Fresh warnings about polluted rivers from the environment watchdog are shocking but not surprisingA steady stream of stories about the shockingly poor state of Britain’s waterways has turned into a flood. In March, news that competitors in the Boat Race had been warned to stay out of the Thames due to sewage pollution travelled round the world. That the water industry is dysfunctional, and for years has enriched shareholders and executives at the expense of customers, is broadly recognised