Emerging Micro-Pollutants in the UK Water Industry: What Water Professionals Need to Know

For years, PFAS, the notorious “forever chemicals”, have dominated the headlines, driving regulation, research, and investment across the UK water industry.

But a new challenge is bubbling to the surface: emerging micro-pollutants.

These trace chemicals from pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, cleaning agents, and industrial materials are showing up more frequently in UK rivers, groundwater, and very occasionally treated drinking water. They’re present in tiny amounts, but their impact on ecosystems and human health could be anything but small.

The catch? Traditional wastewater and water treatment plants weren’t designed to deal with them. Many of these contaminants remain unregulated, leaving water companies under pressure to innovate and adopt innovation fast.

As we move into AMP8 (2025–2030) and beyond, managing emerging micro-pollutants will be key to meeting future standards for compliance, sustainability, and resilience. For every water professional, this is a topic worth watching closely.

What Are Emerging Micro-Pollutants?

In short, micro-pollutants are tiny chemical substances that slip into our environment and raw water systems through everyday human and industrial activity. They’re called “emerging” because we’re only just starting to understand their full impact - thanks to advances in monitoring and analytical technology. “Emerging” also means that they are currently unregulated as we gather more information and evidence of their impact on drinking water and the environment.

Common Sources in the UK Water Industry

Category	Examples	How They Enter Water
Pharmaceuticals	Antibiotics (topical and tablets), hormonal contraception, antidepressants, painkillers	Human bathing and excretion → sewage → wastewater treatment
Personal Care Products	Sunscreens, fragrances, cosmetics	Domestic wastewater → sewerage network → wastewater treatment
Industrial Chemicals	Solvents, surfactants, flame retardants	Factory discharge → trade effluent → wastewater treatment and runoff
Agricultural Chemicals	Pesticides, veterinary medicines	Farm runoff → river and groundwater
Microplastics and Fibres	Textiles, packaging, Tyre wear	Laundry effluent → trade effluent → wastewater treatment  Road surface run off  → surface water system → river

According to the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), traces of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and microplastics are now found in many major UK rivers. The water environment is getting more chemically complex, while much of the infrastructure still runs on designs from decades ago.

What’s Being Found in UK Raw Waters

Data from the Environment Agency’s Chemical Investigations Programme (CIP3) shows that over half of rivers in England and Wales contain traces of pharmaceuticals such as ibuprofen, carbamazepine, and diclofenac.

Meanwhile, UKWIR has found that even advanced wastewater treatment plants still discharge small amounts of persistent contaminants.

Commonly Detected Emerging Contaminants

• Pharmaceuticals: antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, antidepressants

  
  

• Hormones: contraceptive residues, oestrogens

  
  

• Personal care chemicals: UV filters, microbeads, parabens

  
  

• Industrial by-products: bisphenol-A, phthalates, PFAS derivatives

  
  

• Microplastics: from clothing, packaging, vehicle tyres

These pollutants don’t act alone — they mix, react, and create chemical cocktails that are far harder to predict or remove. That’s why experts from UKWIR and CIWEM are pushing for better monitoring frameworks for river water quality and open data sharing between utilities and regulators.

Can wastewater treatment remove all emerging contaminants? 

Traditional treatment plants were built to tackle solids, pathogens, and nutrients — not modern synthetic compounds. As a result, emerging micro-pollutants can pass through unchanged.

The Limits of Conventional Treatment

• Primary treatment removes solids, not dissolved chemicals

  
  

• Secondary treatment breaks down some organics, not synthetics

  
  

• Tertiary treatment removes pollutants like nitrogen, phosphorus, and microorganisms not eliminated in secondary treatment.

Innovative Technologies being researched and tested

Technology	Description	Pros	Challenges
Activated Carbon (GAC/PAC)	Adsorbs organic molecules and pharmaceuticals	Great for pesticides and drugs	Needs regular media replacement
Membrane Filtration (Nano/Ultra)	Filters out small molecules	Stops microplastics	High energy cost
Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)	Ozone, UV, or hydrogen peroxide	Destroys persistent organics	Complex and energy-intensive
Biochar & Nature-Based Solutions	Combine biodegradation and adsorption	Sustainable and scalable	Variable performance

In the UK, both Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) are widely used for advanced wastewater treatment, particularly for the removal of micropollutants (like pesticides and pharmaceuticals), taste, odour, and organic compounds. 

Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are being researched, developed, and implemented in the UK for treating wastewater by using powerful hydroxyl radicals to break down persistent organic pollutants like pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and microplastics. 

Collaboration between water companies, universities and the supply chain are advancing research into practical solutions. University of Sheffield and Cranfield University are researching new AOP technologies, such as UV-based processes and photocatalysis to cut micro-pollutants, while companies like Thames Water, Severn Trent and Veolia Water Technologies UK are working on pilot plants and implementing solutions. 

These advanced technologies are seen as crucial for future wastewater management, enabling water reuse and meeting stricter environmental regulations.  The challenge is making them cost-effective at scale.

What’s Next for Regulation

Right now, the UK has no official water regulatory limits for most emerging micro-pollutants — but that’s changing.

What’s Driving the Shift

• EU Watch List (2025 update): new focus on endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals

  
  

• WINEP: expanding chemical investigations and innovation targets

  
  

• Ofwat AMP8 plans: funding for smarter, data-driven water quality monitoring

  
  

• Defra reforms: tying chemical quality to ecological health

The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee’s Water Quality in Rivers report (2022) called for a stronger, more strategic approach to tackling chemical and microplastic pollution — including improved monitoring, clearer government leadership, and closer coordination between agencies. 

The direction is clear: tighter monitoring, stronger transparency, and faster action.

Building Skills for the Future

Managing emerging micro-pollutants isn’t just about technology — it’s about people and knowledge.

Water professionals now need skills that blend chemistry, regulation, and digital capability.

Future Skill Priorities

• Analytical chemistry: reading and interpreting complex data

  
  

• Process optimisation: integrating new tech into existing systems

  
  

• Risk and compliance: navigating evolving standards

  
  

• Communication: turning technical insight into clear messages

Training providers like CV Water Consultancy are already helping utilities upskill their teams for the changing regulatory landscape.

Meanwhile, Cranfield University’s Water Science Institute is researching new, affordable materials and biological methods to strip micro-pollutants from wastewater — bridging the gap between lab innovation and field application.

Preparing for the Invisible Threats

The UK water sector can adapt quickly when needed. Now, emerging micro-pollutants demand an urgency to adapt with a proactive mindset.

These invisible threats test our technology, our regulation, and our expertise. Yet they also create an opportunity for the UK to lead globally in sustainable water innovation.

Protecting water means acting before the unseen becomes unavoidable. The future of water quality and public trust depends on it.