As the year comes to a close, we wanted to say a simple thank you.

2025 has been Save Windermere’s most impactful year to date — and a turning point for the lake.

After decades of inaction, long-ignored sewage works are finally being scrutinised. Regulators are inspecting assets that hadn’t been properly checked for years. Data that was never meant to see the light of day has been released. And for the first time, the scale of the problem, both legal and illegal sewage pollution, is being confronted openly.

This year alone, we have achieved so much together:

• The Environment Agency is reviewing all United Utilities sewage permits in the Windermere catchment.
• Compliance inspections rose from zero in 2020 to 35 in 2025, with multiple prosecutions now potentially underway.
• United Utilities withdrew legal appeals and released environmental data they had fought to withhold.
• We exposed 2024 as the worst year on record for illegal sewage spills, with 140 days seeing illegal discharges.
• We have directly or indirectly helped more than 200 properties begin exploring the process of transferring their non-mains sewage to United Utilities.
• And after investing just £75m over 35 years, United Utilities has now committed £200m over the next five years.

Perhaps most importantly, this was the year the conversation changed. What was once dismissed as “too difficult” or “too expensive” is now being treated as necessary — and achievable.

For the first time, government, regulator and water company are aligned behind the single goal which we set out four years ago: ending sewage pollution in Windermere entirely. An engineering study is now underway to set out how all sewage discharges into the lake — treated and untreated — can be eliminated, with findings due in July 2026.

Outside of these achievements, we have continued to bring the issues facing Windermere to the heart of government, hosted hundreds of people at our local events and screenings, hit the 2-year milestone of our weekly Strike Against Sewage, and continued to strengthen our partnerships both locally and nationally.

We’ve written a short blog reflecting on what changed in 2025, how we got here, and why the next year matters more than ever. Read the 2025 round-up by clicking the link

None of this happens without sustained public pressure. And that pressure only exists because people like you chose to care, speak up and stick with us.

Thank you for being part of this.

Matt, Finn & the Save Windermere Team