A number of rivers in Yorkshire achieved a low rating when tested for their water quality.
The Yorkshire Post recently reported that 25 per cent of waterways in the county are suffering from problems of pollution, using figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
It also revealed that fewer than one in six of its rivers are satisfying criteria stipulated by European standards for pollution.
Only 16 per cent of the watercourses achieved a rating of good, which is the minimum standard European guidance expects all rivers in England to meet by 2015.
Speaking with the newspaper, the Environment Agency's senior planning officer for water quality in Yorkshire Claire Reece said: "We have a huge amount of work to do.
"Some of the things that need to happen to allow water bodies to be rated good will have huge financial implications. In some cases they may never happen."
This news comes despite the Environment Agency saying last month that water quality throughout the UK is improving, shown by the number of species of wildlife that have returned to rivers in the country.
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