Latest news with #DŵrCymruWelshWater
ITV News
23-06-2025
- General
- ITV News
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water fined for £250,000 sewage pollution
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water have been fined £250,000 for multiple cases of sewage pollution on the Gwent Levels and another on a tributary of the Afon Llwyd. Natural Resources Wales took enforcement action after a broken sewer line discharged raw sewage into a reen and salt marsh near Magor, Monmouthshire between 24th January 2023 and 11th January 2024 The area of salt marsh falls within the several protected sites - a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), RAMSAR and Special Protection Area (SPA). Officers from Natural Resources Wales were first called to the site, near the sea wall at Magor, on January 24 2023. A section of the south east coast sewer line was found to have ruptured, discharging sewage into an area known as 'back ditch". Although repairs were made to pipe, NRW officers were called to further incidents at the site in March and May 2023, and also on January 2024. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water was been fined £90,000 for the the Gwent levels incidents, and a further £160,000 for an incident on a tributary of the Afon Llwyd at Herberts Wood, Pontnewynydd. In the latter incident, in February 2023, the source was a spillage from a foul sewer chamber. An NRW spokesperson said the sewage was visible over ground and throughout approximately 400m of the tributary. At Newport Magistrates Court, the company was also ordered to pay costs and a surcharge of £18,320.77. 'For over a year, our officers recorded a pattern of recurring sewage pollution incidents in the same area, impacting a highly protected habitat which is rich in plants and wildlife, including Saltmarsh" said John Rock, NRW Operations Manager for South Wast Wales 'Time and again we were assured that the necessary repairs had been made, yet the pollution persisted. 'As well as causing considerable harm to the local environment, we found Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water's response to the incidents to be inadequate. Communication was at times poor, and there were unnecessary delays to their incident response procedures such as pumping and tankering away the pollution, which could have lessened the impact. A spokesperson for Welsh Water said it "pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity" "At Herberts Wood, Pontypool, the incident occurred because of the damage to our sewer pipe caused by root ingress. "We manage a vast sewage network that spans over 36,000km of sewers and regrettably unexpected issues such as this can arise and it's not possible to foresee theme all. The repair was hindered as we had to work around a vast wooded area and the need to preserve the trees. This meant the sewer had to be diverted, prolonging the incident." "The second issue was on the South East Coastal Sewer. We have been experiencing repeat issues with this sewer in recent years with the only viable solution being to replace it." "However, the estimated cost of £80 million has meant that it has not previously been possible to complete the work within our maintenance budget." "We have now, with support of NRW, secured permission from Ofwat to raise funds to address the issue."
Wales Online
23-06-2025
- Wales Online
Beauty spot polluted with raw sewage as pipe bursts
Beauty spot polluted with raw sewage as pipe bursts Welsh Water has been fined after the regulator found clear evidence of toxic waste having been discharged into watercourses at the Gwent Levels Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has been fined nearly £270,000 for multiple separate sewage spills including in the Gwent Levels site of special scientific interest (SSSI) (Image: John Myers ) Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has been fined nearly £270,000 for multiple separate sewage spills including in the Gwent Levels site of special scientific interest (SSSI). At a sentencing hearing at Newport Magistrates' Court on Monday Judge Sophie Toms told the company it did not do enough to mitigate potential pollution discharges caused by a failing sewage pipework system which led to land at Magor being polluted by untreated waste water. Jon Tarrant, prosecuting on behalf of the regulator Natural Resources Wales (NRW), told the court how separate incidents near Magor in Monmouthshire had occurred in 2023 and 2024. In January 2023 officers from NRW arrived at the scene of a suspected sewage pollution incident at a watercourse known as back ditch which neighbours the sea wall which runs south of the Monmouthshire village. Mr Tarrant explained how when the officers arrived at the site they noticed a strong smell of sewage and witnessed a steady flow of waste entering the watercourse. It transpired the southeast coast sewer line pipework, which runs from Monmouthshire to Newport and has been in place since the turn of the century, had corroded to such an extent it had ruptured causing the discharge. The court heard this had become a regular occurrence and Welsh Water does not have the necessary funds to remedy the issue properly by replacing the sewer line, although Judge Toms did not accept Welsh Water had done all it could to mitigate potential leaks from the pipework. Sewage could be seen bubbling through the surface of the ground in two locations and the ruptured pipe had caused a large section of the bank to collapse allowing a significant volume of sewage water to enter the reen. The court heard how to that point Welsh Water had made no efforts to contain the discharge of waste into the reen and no tankers were on site removing polluted effluent. Article continues below The collapsed bank caused by a sewage burst at the back ditch near Magor, Monmouthshire (Image: Natural Resources Wales ) Samples were collected by NRW officers to assess the extent of the environmental impact. Analysis of those samples showed ammonia levels at 24.6 mg per litre. The trigger level – the level set to ensure no detrimental impact on the watercourse – for ammonia discharging into a SSSI is 1.1mg per litre. Solid waste was also apparent. The court heard how NRW were called to another pollution incident at the same location in March 2023 when a significant amount of the bank had eroded and fallen into the ditch. There was also significant discolouration and siltation visible downstream as well as a prominent odour of sewage. Discolouration could be seen clearly for around 300m downstream and sewage fungus and odour were detected. On that occasion Welsh Water operatives explained that the pipe had again ruptured and they had replaced the part which had corroded. In May 2023 it happened again, causing another significant sewage spill in the same area on the levels. On that occasion Welsh Water confirmed another burst on a rising main coming from the Magor main sewage pumping station. Flooding from the burst was running to the ditch at the side of the road which was then running to Whitewall reen. In January 2024 another incident occurred at the back ditch location where sewage was bubbling through the ground and was flowing into the reen. Mathern, Hungerpill, and Caldicot pumping stations had been cut off to prevent the flow of sewage continuing along the south east coast sewer line towards the section of burst pipe at Magor. During the investigation of that incident an NRW officer witnessed untreated sewage being deliberately pumped onto the salt marsh via a water pump. The salt marsh land is an ecologically-important habitat for wildlife at the Levels. The deliberate pumping of untreated waste onto the marsh was clearly evident as the tide was out. The pumping of sewage directly onto the salt marsh, evidenced in pictures taken at the time, had not been legally permitted. Sewage pumped onto saltmarsh land near Magor, Monmouthshire, on the Gwent Levels which is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) (Image: Natural Resources Wales ) Welsh Water pleaded guilty to four charges of causing a water discharge activity of a poisonous, noxious, or polluting matter into an inland freshwater. In all of the incidents no signs were present informing members of the public of potential toxic waste in the area and the watercourse, no reports had been made regarding efforts taken to mitigate the issues, and there was no log present showing the amount of pollution discharged into the watercourses, the court heard. The court heard the incidents were not isolated. Welsh Water has 26 previous convictions for 37 offences of a similar nature, in part owing to a failing sewerage system. Richard Kimblin, for Welsh Water, argued the company had recorded annual losses in recent years and was in a financially impossible position to deal with the issue to prevent further discharge leaks and it was likely further incidents would occur. 'We could be here again next week,' he said. 'It's about having the money to put into the infrastructure.' Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here . He explained that the company's budget to deal with leaks of this nature is around £40m a year and that the only proper solution to the continued corrosion of the sewerage pipework is to completely replace the whole sewer line which would cost around £80m – something he said the company cannot afford. Welsh Water expects to receive the funding to replace the whole sewer line by 2030. The hearing also dealt with a separate pollution incident which occurred in the Afon Llwyd at Herbert's Wood in Pontypool in February 2023. Walkers in the area had reported sewage effluent entering the tributary for more than a week. One said a dog had become sick after entering the water and required emergency veterinary care. Initially Welsh Water had given an inaccurate grid reference for the incident before NRW officers discovered the tributary thick with fungus and what appeared to be sewage sludge. NRW located the source around 400m upstream to a spillage from a foul sewer chamber. Welsh Water reported that the spillage had been caused by a blocked pipe due to tree root ingress. It was evident the sewage had spilled over ground and via several pathways and entered the watercourse. The impact was visible for at least 400m until the confluence with the Afon Lwyd. Welsh Water had previously stated that it was not possible to collect samples at the point of discharge due to a steep drop at the river bank but NRW officers succeeded in collecting samples while on site. Subsequent biology surveys, samples, photographs, and video footage confirmed that the pollution had caused significant damage to the local environment including evidence of several dead species in the water. Sewage fungus at the Afon Llwyd tributary at Herbert's Wood, Pontypool (Image: Natural Resources Wales ) Mr Kimblin said Welsh Water remedied the situation by constructing a bypass sewer line at a very high cost. He argued that the extent of harm was 'limited and self-repairing'. Judge Toms said: 'It's obvious in my view more must be done to protect the levels. It's critical plans are adhered to and acted upon. There are previous incidents of failures, there are previous convictions, and there have been failures to fully mitigate the spillages.' Judge Toms said while the incidents at Magor had been responded to swiftly by Welsh Water the Pontypool incident clearly involved neglect and had not been mitigated as quickly or practicably as possible. Welsh Water was fined a total of £268,320.77 which the company must pay within 28 days. Following sentencing John Rock, NRW operations manager for southeast Wales, said: 'For over a year our officers recorded a pattern of recurring sewage pollution incidents in the same area impacting a highly protected habitat which is rich in plants and wildlife including salt marsh. Time and again we were assured that the necessary repairs had been made yet the pollution persisted. 'As well as causing considerable harm to the local environment we found Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water's response to the incidents to be inadequate. Communication was at times poor and there were unnecessary delays to their incident response procedures such as pumping and tankering away the pollution which could have lessened the impact. 'While the fine handed down by the court today reflects the severity of the incidents we are disappointed that it has led to this – that stronger action wasn't taken to prevent the recurrence of these incidents in such a sensitive environment. We will always push for early intervention and the prevention of environmental harm before prosecution.' A spokesman for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water responded: "We pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to the charges which relate to two issues. At Herbert's Wood, Pontypool, the incident occurred because of the damage to our sewer pipe caused by root ingress. Article continues below "We manage a vast sewage network that spans over 36,000km of sewers and regrettably unexpected issues such as this can arise and it's not possible to foresee them all. The repair was hindered as we had to work around a vast wooded area and the need to preserve the trees. This meant the sewer had to be diverted, prolonging the incident. "The second issue was on the southeast coastal sewer. We have been experiencing repeat issues with this sewer in recent years with the only viable solution being to replace it. However the estimated cost of £80m has meant that it has not previously been possible to complete the work within our maintenance budget. "We have now, with support of NRW, secured permission from Ofwat to raise funds to address the issue. Each of the leaks to this main were dealt with promptly to minimise environmental impact. It is important that pollution incidents are responded to quickly and we urge anyone who thinks they have seen sewage pollution to report it online here or via our 24-hour hotline on 0800 085 3968."
South Wales Argus
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
Bluebell Road, Earlswood, to close for Welsh Water works
Bluebell Road in Earlswood will be temporarily shut around 1km from its junction with Old Road for around 75 metres. This closure is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 18, and is expected to last until Friday, June 20. The closure is to allow Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to carry out necessary works safely. Monmouthshire County Council has confirmed that reasonable access will still be maintained for properties on the affected stretch of road during the closure period. A signed diversionary route will be in place for other traffic, directing vehicles via Old Road, the B4235, and the R121 Buckwell Road to Gaerllwyd Baptist Chapel, with the same route available in reverse. The council has issued the order under Section 14(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The temporary traffic regulation order will stay in force for up to 18 months, although the waterworks are expected to be completed within the two-day window. Anyone contravening the restrictions under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 will be committing an offence. The head of neighbourhood services at Monmouthshire County Council, Carl Touhig, issued the notice. Residents and road users are advised to plan their journeys accordingly and follow the signed diversionary routes to avoid inconvenience. The council has apologised for any disruption these essential works may cause and has urged the public to be patient and cooperative while the improvements are being made. For more information on road closures and traffic updates, residents can visit the Monmouthshire County Council website or contact their neighbourhood services department.
Western Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Developing drought declared for Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has declared 'Developing Drought' status for an area of more than 32,000 properties. The area affected includes Crymych, Llanfyrnach and Nevern in north Pembrokeshire, Llanon, Llangwyryfon and Cwm Ystwyth in north Ceredigion and parts of north Carmarthenshire down to Farmers, Pencader and Hermon as well as most of mid and south Ceredigion. The 'Developing Drought' is being declared as reservoir levels at the Teifi Pools reservoirs on the western edge of the Cambrian Mountains and water abstracted from the river Teifi at Llechryd water treatment works are now around 31 per cent lower than the same time last year. This means a drought and water use restrictions could be introduced in the area over the summer. Welsh Water said that the Teifi Pools reservoirs have only seen 37 per cent of the expected long-term average of rainfall between March and May. The peaty ground around these reservoirs retains water and is slower than other areas to release water back into the environment. Rainfall over the past two weeks has done little to improve the situation. 'Developing Drought' status is the second stage of Welsh Water's five stages of escalation noted in their statutory Drought Plan and it doesn't involve any restrictions on water use. If reservoir levels in the area do not recover following rainfall over the next few weeks, the company may move to stage three and issue temporary use bans – or hosepipe bans, in the near future. Welsh Water says it has already undertaken a number of activities to help conserve water in the area, including increased detection and repair of leaks. The company is now asking customers to think about the way they use water and to cut down on any waste. More information on how to save water is available online at The area is the only part of Wales in 'Developing Drought'. If the company moves to 'Drought' status in mid and south Ceredigion, Welsh Water will write to all customers affected to explain more about what this means. Customers can also use an online postcode checker to confirm if they are within the 'Developing Drought' area. Welsh Water said it is also working closely with other bodies to alleviate the situation. "We are giving our customers early warning as we want to prevent further restrictions later in the year,' said Marc Davies, Welsh Water's director of water services. 'With record low rainfall levels in recent months, water levels in our reservoirs are below where they would usually be at this time of year. Following such a dry period, unless we see a period of sustained rainfall in the area with good amount of rain, it's essential that we all help preserve the supplies in our reservoirs and rivers. 'We are grateful to customers for their help. We're not asking people not to use their water, we're just asking them to use the water they need but avoid wasting it. 'As well as asking customers to do their bit, we are doing ours by working around the clock to make sure we do everything we can to get as much treated water into the system and our teams are out and about fixing 700 leaks per week across our operating area. Working together is the best way we can protect drinking water supplies.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Water company's plea to residents as 'Developing Drought' situation announced
Residents of Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion are being urged to think carefully about the way they use water and to cut down on waste as a 'Developing Drought' situation is declared. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has declared 'Developing Drought' status for an area of more than 32,000 properties. The area affected includes Crymych, Llanfyrnach and Nevern in north Pembrokeshire, Llanon, Llangwyryfon and Cwm Ystwyth in north Ceredigion and parts of north Carmarthenshire down to Farmers, Pencader and Hermon as well as most of mid and south Ceredigion. The 'Developing Drought' is being declared as reservoir levels at the Teifi Pools reservoirs on the western edge of the Cambrian Mountains and water abstracted from the river Teifi at Llechryd water treatment works are now around 31 per cent lower than the same time last year. This means a drought and water use restrictions could be introduced in the area over the summer. Welsh Water said that the Teifi Pools reservoirs have only seen 37 per cent of the expected long-term average of rainfall between March and May. The peaty ground around these reservoirs retains water and is slower than other areas to release water back into the environment. Rainfall over the past two weeks has done little to improve the situation. 'Developing Drought' status is the second stage of Welsh Water's five stages of escalation noted in their statutory Drought Plan and it doesn't involve any restrictions on water use. If reservoir levels in the area do not recover following rainfall over the next few weeks, the company may move to stage three and issue temporary use bans – or hosepipe bans, in the near future. Welsh Water says it has already undertaken a number of activities to help conserve water in the area, including increased detection and repair of leaks. The company is now asking customers to think about the way they use water and to cut down on any waste. More information on how to save water is available online at The area is the only part of Wales in 'Developing Drought'. If the company moves to 'Drought' status in mid and south Ceredigion, Welsh Water will write to all customers affected to explain more about what this means. Customers can also use an online postcode checker to confirm if they are within the 'Developing Drought' area. Welsh Water said it is also working closely with other bodies to alleviate the situation. "We are giving our customers early warning as we want to prevent further restrictions later in the year,' said Marc Davies, Welsh Water's director of water services. 'With record low rainfall levels in recent months, water levels in our reservoirs are below where they would usually be at this time of year. Following such a dry period, unless we see a period of sustained rainfall in the area with good amount of rain, it's essential that we all help preserve the supplies in our reservoirs and rivers. 'We are grateful to customers for their help. We're not asking people not to use their water, we're just asking them to use the water they need but avoid wasting it. 'As well as asking customers to do their bit, we are doing ours by working around the clock to make sure we do everything we can to get as much treated water into the system and our teams are out and about fixing 700 leaks per week across our operating area. Working together is the best way we can protect drinking water supplies.'
