Thousands of planned water quality tests aimed at detecting harmful pollution in England’s rivers, lakes, and estuaries have been cancelled over the past three months due to staff shortages, the BBC has revealed.

The Environment Agency (EA) confirmed the cancellations following the release of internal emails and documents obtained by environmental campaigners. These documents outlined significant cutbacks to routine water monitoring efforts.

The scrapped tests were designed to detect inorganic pollutants—including nitrates and phosphates, which are key indicators of sewage discharges and agricultural runoff. These pollutants can have serious consequences for both wildlife and human health.

While the EA has insisted that its testing programme “remains robust,” concerns are mounting. A landmark report published earlier this week stated that the agency has “struggled to effectively oversee and manage the water system,” raising further doubts about its capacity to monitor environmental threats adequately.

Campaigners warn that the decision to scale back testing may undermine efforts to tackle water pollution and hold polluters accountable.