One Year On: Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Wastewater

Sewage spills have worsened in recent years, leading to severe and widespread pollution of UK waters [1]. This has rightly drawn significant public attention, with communities expressing outrage at the damage to their local environments and the risks to their health. As a result, sewage and other wastewater pollution have become firmly established on policymakers’ agendas. 

However, the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in wastewater is often overlooked. Up to 90% of antibiotics we take pass into sewage systems [2], making wastewater a significant contributor to, and potential route for, the spread of AMR. 

Microbiology Society members, including Knocking Out AMR co-Chair, Dr Jonathan Cox, have played a critical role in highlighting these risks. In February 2025, Dr Cox, Senior Lecturer at Aston University, published an article making the call to “save our seaside” from the dangers of AMR. 

In response to our members concerns, the Society published the policy briefing ‘Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Wastewater’, which was released on 22 March 2025 to mark World Water Day. The aim was to promote the understanding of AMR in wastewater, while highlighting key interventions for stakeholders to tackle the spread of AMR in the environment, both in the UK and globally. 

That briefing was only the beginning. Over the past year, we have continued to take action to keep this issue firmly on policymakers’ agendas. Actions include: 

• National Preparedness Commission: Following the publication of the policy briefing, Society staff held a meeting with Lord Toby Harris, Chair, and Katie Barns, Executive Director, of the National Preparedness Commission (NPC). The NPC was established with a mission to make the UK better prepared for major incidents or crises such as AMR. In May 2025, this culminated in an article for the NPC website with specific calls to action for different stakeholder groups, highlighting how we can all help mitigate the spread of AMR in wastewater. 

• UK Parliament: In October 2025, the Society submitted a response to the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee’s inquiry ‘The Environment in Focus’, urging the Committee to investigate AMR in wastewater as a future line of inquiry.  

• Scottish Parliament: The Scottish Cross-party Group (CPG) on Science and Technology is composed of members of the Scottish Parliament and of the scientific community in Scotland, including the Microbiology Society’s representative Dr Louise Horsfall, Chair of Sustainable Biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh. In November 2025, the CPG co-produced a manifesto, which set out key policy proposals for science and technology, to send to all political parties ahead of the Scottish elections in May 2026. Dr Horsfall successfully pitched on our behalf for the inclusion of the need for AMR testing in wastewater within the manifesto, bringing this issue to the attention of MSPs and other  stakeholders in the group. 

• UK Government: In January 2026, the Society published a position statement in response to the UK Government’s white paper [3], which outlined their action plan for reforming the water sector. The Society welcomed the proposed reforms, including moving to transparent and continuous monitoring of wastewater and upgrading wastewater treatment works, but highlighted that these reforms fell short, failing to explicitly tackle AMR.  

What’s next for the Microbiology Society? 

Our job is far from over. The Microbiology Society is continuing to develop activities that will raise the profile of AMR in wastewater and keep this issue on policymakers’ agendas. 

In the coming weeks, Dr Cox, with support from the Microbiology Society, will lead BugWatch 2026, a nationwide citizen science initiative to sample microbial contamination at UK beaches. Watch this space for updates from this project and for information on how to get involved! 

Got an idea? Email us at [email protected].   

References 

[1] Stallard E, Fisher J. England sewage spills hit record 3.6m hours last year [Internet]. London: BBC News; 2025 Mar 27 [cited 2026 Mar 4]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c201rz925nyo  

[2] UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Antibiotic resistance factsheet [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2026 Mar 4]. Available from: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Antibiotic%20resistance%20factsheet_2.pdf  

[3] Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. A new vision for water. [Internet]. 2026 [cited 2026 Mar 4]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-new-vision-for-water-white-paper