More than 150 farms in England caught using local water illegally

Over 150 farms in England have been caught illegally extracting excess water from rivers, lakes, and underground sources, with nearly 200 permit breaches reported since mid-2022. The Environment Agency found that most violations threatened environmental harm, yet only one farmer was prosecuted. With climate change exacerbating water scarcity, stricter enforcement and sanctions are being called for to deter over-abstraction and protect water sources and wildlife habitats.