Digital Health Hub for AMR publishes report on the role of the UK water sector in tackling Antimicrobial Resistance

The EPSRC Digital Health Hub for Antimicrobial Resistance, together with Arup, Bangor University, and UK Water Industry Research, has released a landmark report: Antimicrobial Resistance and the Water Sector: Current Landscape and Recommendations. Based on a June 2025 cross-sector workshop, the report underscores the vital role of the UK water sector in tackling AMR, a threat already causing 1.27 million deaths annually. It maps stakeholder influence, examines how wastewater, rivers, and sludge contribute to AMR spread, and reviews existing initiatives such as the Chemical Investigations Programme. Key gaps remain in regulation, monitoring, and occupational health, but opportunities lie in innovation, including advanced testing, AI, and geospatial modelling. Strategic recommendations focus on operations, regulatory preparedness, collaboration, and research priorities. The central message is clear: AMR is not only a medical or agricultural challenge but also an environmental one, and the water sector can act as both a sentinel and a safeguard through stronger cross-sector integration under One Health principles.