The Greenwashing Behind ‘Get River Positive’
Why we’re publishing this
Across Leicestershire and the wider Midlands, communities are working hard to understand what’s happening to their rivers.
When a water company pushes a campaign promising to be “River Positive”, people deserve clarity, not marketing spin.
Recent independent research shows that water companies across England, including Severn Trent, are using greenwashing tactics to downplay pollution, shift blame, and present a misleading picture of river health.
This blog explains what those tactics look like, how they appear in Severn Trent’s Get River Positive messaging, and why communities should treat the campaign with caution.
1. The wider context: water companies are using 22 recognised greenwashing tactics
A major peer‑reviewed study published in Nature Water analysed the communications of England’s nine water and sewage companies.
It found they collectively used 22 out of 28 recognised greenwashing tactics, including:
• downplaying environmental harm
• misrepresenting information
• undermining scientific research
• shifting blame
• delaying action
These tactics mirror those historically used by the tobacco and fossil fuel industries to manufacture doubt and deflect responsibility.
Severn Trent was one of the companies analysed.
2. How these tactics show up in “Get River Positive”
A. Softening the language around sewage pollution
Researchers found water companies frequently rebrand sewage treatment sites as “water recycling centres” and describe sewage spills as “heavily diluted rainwater”.
This reframing makes pollution sound harmless, even when untreated sewage is present.
Severn Trent’s Get River Positive campaign uses similarly softened language, emphasising “cleaner rivers” and “nature‑based solutions” without acknowledging the scale of untreated discharges.
B. Omitting key information about pollution incidents
The Advertising Standards Authority has already investigated complaints that Severn Trent’s environmental messaging omits significant information about its history of sewage releases.
Although the ASA did not uphold the complaint in that specific case, the ruling confirms a pattern, Severn Trent’s public‑facing campaigns focus on tree‑planting, wetlands, and community enjoyment, not on spills, fines, or enforcement actions.
This selective storytelling is a recognised greenwashing tactic, highlighting positives while hiding negatives.
C. Shifting responsibility onto the public
The University of Portsmouth study found water companies often blame customers for sewage overflows, for example, by focusing on wet wipes, while downplaying infrastructure failures.
Severn Trent’s campaign encourages communities to “get involved” and “help protect rivers”, which sounds collaborative but subtly shifts responsibility away from the company and onto residents.
D. Presenting unverified claims of improvement
Water companies frequently claim that the impacts of sewage spills are “minimal” or “temporary”, despite limited evidence and low investigation rates. Only 11% of storm overflow discharges in 2020 were investigated by the Environment Agency.
When Get River Positive states that rivers are “cleaner than they’ve been since the 1980s”, communities should note that this claim is not supported by independent ecological data, and fits the pattern of asserting improvement without evidence.
3. Why this matters for communities
A. Greenwashing delays real action
The research shows water companies use these tactics to delay investment, deflect scrutiny, and manufacture doubt about the need for infrastructure upgrades.
When a company presents itself as already “positive”, it becomes harder for communities to demand the improvements rivers urgently need.
B. It undermines public understanding
If a campaign suggests rivers are improving while independent monitoring shows ongoing ecological decline, communities lose access to the truth they need to make informed decisions.
C. It risks eroding trust
Trust is built on transparency. When key information is omitted, such as spill volumes, pollution incidents, or enforcement actions, communities are left with marketing instead of accountability.
4. What communities can do next
Stay evidence‑led: Independent data from the Environment Agency, citizen science groups, and river trusts provides a clearer picture than corporate PR.
Ask for specifics: Any claim of improvement should come with measurable targets, timelines, and independently verifiable data.
Keep documenting: Community monitoring, photos, sampling, and reporting remain essential tools for transparency.
Challenge vague language: If a claim sounds positive but lacks detail, ask what it means in practice.
5. Final word: hope comes from communities, not PR campaigns
Severn Trent’s Get River Positive campaign uses many of the same tactics identified in national research into water‑industry greenwashing. That doesn’t mean communities should disengage, it means we should stay alert, stay factual, and stay organised.
Real river recovery will come from:
- transparent data
- accountable investment
- independent monitoring
- community pressure
- regulatory enforcement
Not from marketing.
References & Sources
Nature Water (2024) – Greenwashing tactics used by water companies in England
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-024-00113-0
Water Framework Directive (WFD) river status data
https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning
Storm overflow investigation statistics
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/storm-overflows-annual-summary-report-2022
Pollution incident category data
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/environment-agency-pollution-incidents
ASA ruling on Severn Trent environmental claims (2023)
https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/severn-trent-plc-a23-1203277-severn-trent-plc.html
Storm Overflow Reduction Plan
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/storm-overflow-reduction-plan
Water industry performance reports
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/water-industry-performance
Water company performance reports
https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/households/your-water-company/performance/
Enforcement actions and fines
https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulated-companies/enforcement-cases/
Annual Sewage Map
https://www.theriverstrust.org/sewage-map
Quality reports
https://www.sas.org.uk/water-quality/
Freshwater habitat & river health
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/habitats/freshwater
Trent Rivers Trust
https://www.trentriverstrust.org
Get River Positive campaign
https://www.stwater.co.uk/get-river-positive/
Storm overflow map
https://www.stwater.co.uk/my-supply/storm-overflow-map/