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South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- General
- South Wales Argus
Magor and Pontypool fouled by water company
Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, pleaded guilty to two offences of knowingly permitting the discharge of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter into inland fresh water. The offences involved raw sewage and took place over one day in Pontnewynydd, Pontypool and over a 12 month period, in Magor. Welsh Water, the not-for-profit utility, allowed sewage to leak into a sensitive area on the Gwent Levels at Magor and at a brook in Herbert's Wood, north of Pontypool. The brook is a tributary of the Afon Lwydd, a river that flows through major population centres before entering the Severn Estuary. Newport magistrates heard that Welsh Water allowed a broken sewer line to discharge raw sewage into a reen and salt marsh near Magor, over a whole year. Natural Resources Wales had to take enforcement action at the sensitive site, the court heard. Welsh Water had repeatedly failed to repair essential plant and effectively manage the site. The offences occurred between January 2023 and January 2024, the court was instructed. The Magor area contains a delicate salt marsh environment and has several areas designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Furthermore, the wider area has a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA). Welsh Water was fined £90,000 for the Gwent levels incidents and £160,000 for the Pontnewynydd incident, which was caused by a spillage from a foul sewer chamber in February 2023. They were also ordered to pay more than £18,000 in costs. Welsh Water had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges. Of the damage in Pontnewynydd, Natural Resources Wales said sewage was visible over ground and throughout approximately 400m of the tributary. Speaking of the Magor incidents, they 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 a saltmarsh. 'Time and again we were assured that necessary repairs had been made, yet the pollution persisted. 'As well as causing considerable harm to the local environment, we found 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 impact."
ITV News
5 days ago
- 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
5 days ago
- 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."
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Hidden English beach that's the ‘most beautiful place in the world' to close until next year
A SECRET beach in the UK called one of the worlds most beautiful places is about to be cut off from the public until next year. The Warren in Folkestone is rarely visited by tourists, being tucked away from the main beach area. 3 A beach in Folkestone won't be open to the public for more than nine months Credit: Alamy 3 The beach is underneath the Dover-Folkestone train line Credit: Alamy Advertisement Not only that but you can only get there by hiking, taking around 40 minutes from town. However, the access route to the beach is closing next month due to upcoming renovation works. Closing from July 1 , tourists will no longer be able to get to the beach. The upgrade works are part of new sea defence upgrades that hope to prevent landslips. Advertisement Read more on beaches This includes thousands of tonnes of rock along the sea wall which will also reduce erosion, according to local media. Network Rail said in a statement: "The sea defences below the railway line at Folkestone Warren will be strengthened with 16,000 tonnes of rock armour that will be brought in by barge. "The footpath along the beach will be repaired at the same time. "The railway line will remain open during the work but the path along Western beach and the beach itself will close during the length of the repairs." Advertisement Most read in News Travel David Davidson, South Eastern Railway's chief operating officer added: 'There is a long history of landslips at Folkestone Warren, with ongoing movement for many years. "To keep passengers, the public and our colleagues safe we closely monitor the area with hundreds of ground sensors that share real-time data and alerts, allowing us to caution or stop trains if movement is detected. The up-and-coming English seaside town with cheap booze and huge beaches 'The railway line will not close and trains will still run whilst we undertake the work but the path along the beach will be closed during the length of the repairs. " The access point hopes to reopen from March 2026. The beach is below the train line that connects Dover and Advertisement Yet The Warren once had its own railway station called Folkestone Warren Halt railway station which opened in 1886. It closed that same year due to trespassing complaints from a local landowner, and reopened in 1908. It then closed in 1915 due to a landslide, reopening in 1919, and then closed again in 1939 for the same reason. Now, it is one of the few beaches Kent , as well as being a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with more than 150 species of native birds . Local website Folkelife calls it one of the "most beautiful places on earth " with "beautiful coastal views". Advertisement And another said it was the "best beach in Kent" with secluded sandy beaches. There is also the nearby Little Switzerland campsite which people say has Swiss Alps views. In the mean time, Sunny Sands Beach is tidal, so you will have to time it right to visit Here's everything else you need to know Advertisement 3 Access to the beach will reopen in March next year Credit: Alamy
Channel 4
20-06-2025
- General
- Channel 4
Has sewage been illegally dumped into Lake District protected site?
By Rob Windscheffel Campaigners are calling for regulators to urgently investigate whether water company United Utilities has been illegally spilling sewage into one of the UK's most protected sites. In the heart of the Lake District , Esthwaite Water was eulogised by poet William Wordsworth and was described by author Beatrix Potter as her 'favourite lake'. Today it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a RAMSAR wetland site of international importance. Following a lengthy battle, which involved the intervention of the Information Commissioner, campaign groups Save Windermere and Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP) obtained data from United Utilities about the Esthwaite Lodge Pumping Station. The pumping station has an emergency overflow which feeds into the lake and in emergencies is allowed to release sewage. That, however, doesn't include periods of heavy rain. Professor Peter Hammond analysed the data and produced a report, shared with Channel 4 News, and believes the overflow might have spilled sewage at least 20 times since 2020. If those spills weren't as a result of major failures at the pumping station and caused by heavy rain, they could be in breach of their permit. Campaigner Matt Staniek says: 'It's just been slowly putting sewage into the environment and the result of that is we're seeing this water quality decline. And then we're seeing this flow down to Windermere which obviously now goes green every summer.' United Utilities categorically deny there have been any spills from the site since 2017. They say they carried out an investigation in July 2024 and that their pear float used to detect spills 'was proven to be highly inaccurate and unreliable'. They also say their ultrasonic level monitor was set incorrectly and that 'data prior to June 2024 has been confirmed to be inaccurate and, therefore, cannot be used to confirm the occurrence of any spills'. In response to United Utilities denying the accuracy of the data and the analysis done on it, Matt Staniek has told Channel 4 News: 'We had to go through hoops to try and get the data and it was only following the intervention of the Information Commissioner that they finally released the data to us. And then the first thing they say to us is you can't trust the data. 'If the data's unreliable, why haven't they acted in the last 10 years when the alarm's been going off saying it's spilling? Have they deliberately ignored that? Or have they just not been competent enough to do their job? It's blatantly incompetence or deliberate neglect.' Professor Peter Hammond says: 'When you ask for the detailed data the water companies know you're going to find the evidence, so they say no or they take time to give you the evidence and it's been an uphill battle.' While water companies say they are increasingly more transparent, and more data is being published, campaign groups believe there is still some way to go. The Information Commissioner's Office has had to intervene 13 times in data disputes with water companies in the last year – 11 of those with United Utilities. Information Commissioner John Edwards says: 'The water industry has not been as transparent as we would like. People do not expect to swim in polluted water. People expect to have clean and transparent water. We expect to have transparent water companies. 'We've seen movement in the right direction, a greater willingness to put more information out there. What that's exposing is some data quality issues.' A United Utilities spokesperson said: 'Reports of any spills from Esthwaite pumping station are wrong and we have already provided the evidence and data that shows this. 'Transparency and customer confidence is extremely important to us and over the last year we have invested to improve our performance in this area. Last year, we issued over 16 million rows of data in response to environmental information requests and are on track to provide more than 17 million rows of data this year. 'To ensure this information is accessible to the public, we publish our responses on our website. This provides a central repository for the public to review data that has already been disclosed, and are currently meeting our target of responding to 100% of environmental information requests within the required service levels. There is always more to do and we have a plan for further improvements that will be delivered over the next 12 months.' An Ofwat spokesperson said: 'In November 2021 we announced an investigation into all wastewater companies in England and Wales, looking into how companies are operating their wastewater treatment works and networks, including spills from overflows. 'This resulted in us opening an enforcement case into United Utilities in July 2024 which is on-going. In the last three months alone, we have concluded similar cases against other water companies resulting in Ofwat confirming over £160m in a combination of penalties and enforcement settlement packages. Given this is an active investigation, we cannot comment further but welcome the information that has been shared with us.' An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 'We are currently investigating a number of United Utilities' sites including those on the Esthwaite catchment. If any of these sites are found to be in breach of environmental permits or causing pollution we will take appropriate enforcement action, up to and including criminal prosecutions. 'We've modernised our approach to regulating the water sector, with more regulation and enforcement officers, better data and are on track to carry out 10,000 inspections this year, all of which is holding water companies to account more than ever before.' Watch more here: The secret sewage 'illegally' dumped into rivers and seas Record amounts of sewage dumped into English waters Water companies in England and Wales ordered to pay £158m back to customers Lake Windermere – why swimmer health could be at risk in World Heritage waters
