Welsh Water tops UK chart for sewage discharges in 2024
The water provider discharged sewage for 968,340 hours and their target of 30 incidents per Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) by 2030, is significantly lower than the average target of 21 per CSO of other UK providers.
Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, said: 'The sheer lack of ambition shown by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to reduce pollution shows they have no shame over the catastrophic levels of sewage they are spewing into Wales' beautiful coastline, rivers and lakes.
'With such clear mismanagement, it's no wonder that less than a quarter of people believe that their water supplier has used their bill payments responsibly.
'Welsh waters have been polluted for far too long and the whole system is to blame. Dŵr Cyrmu Welsh Water has been polluting regularly.
'A shambolic regulator has let them get away with it and the government is asleep at the wheel. It's time for change. With an election rapidly approaching, politicians in Wales need to stop stalling and start acting to get a grip on this broken system.'
SAS received 1,853 sickness reports from UK water users and revealed the number of sick days likely linked to sewage pollution amounts to nine years' worth, with an estimated hit to the UK economy of £493,200.
However, a spokesperson for Welsh Water, responded to the report and said: 'Both England and Wales are working to tackle issues surrounding storm overflows, with a slightly different focus.
'We operate over 2,300 storm overflows in Wales as we have a very high number of assets for a relatively small population.
'Many of our rural communities are served by smaller sewerage networks and storm overflows, which are essential to ensure networks do not become overwhelmed and flood properties.
'Wales is focused on tackling storm overflows that cause the most environmental harm first. In England, the focus is on reducing the numbers of spills.
'Also, as a country on the western side of the UK, we have some of the highest levels of rainfall. The more rainfall, the more times the sewer system is at capacity and will spill.
'Wales has some of the best bathing waters in the UK and 44% of our rivers in Wales are in good ecological status compared to 14% in England.
'Over the next five years we'll invest £2.5bn on projects to improve the environment, including £889m on investigating and improving storm overflows.'
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