#welshwater — Public Fediverse posts

‘Reduce my water bill’ say critics as parts of Wales face hosepipe ban

Welsh Water has warned a hosepipe ban is likely for parts of Wales this weekend due to heatwave…
#NewsBeep #News #Environment #Commentingcontent #environment #Science #UK #UnitedKingdom #WelshWater
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/698899/

HOSEPIPE BAN: West Wales ban starts 10am Sunday — and it’s not because the reservoirs are running dry

A hosepipe ban comes into force across parts of west Wales at 10am on Sunday, Welsh Water has confirmed — covering around 33,000 properties, including communities in north Carmarthenshire and north Pembrokeshire.

The move was signalled on Friday, when the company warned restrictions were likely this weekend — and the ban has now been formally announced under a public notice issued on Saturday.

But the company says this is not a traditional drought ban: its reservoirs are not running low.

Instead, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water says the problem is the pace of demand — its treatment works cannot make clean drinking water quickly enough to keep up with what customers are using during the prolonged hot spell.

“Unlike a traditional drought-related hosepipe ban, this is a demand-led, short-term measure,” the company said, designed to reduce peak use, ease pressure on the local network and keep supplies reliable while the hot weather lasts.

In Carmarthenshire, the ban covers Farmers, Pencader and Hermon — while the wider affected area also takes in Llandysul and stretches towards Newcastle Emlyn on the county’s northern edge.

In Pembrokeshire, the communities affected are Crymych, Eglwyswrw, Nevern, Newport, Llanfyrnach, Tegryn and Star.

The bulk of the ban area lies across mid and south Ceredigion, including Aberaeron, New Quay, Lampeter, Tregaron, Llandysul and Aberporth — with Welsh Water publishing a postcode checker so customers can confirm whether their property is included.

Under the ban, hosepipes — including sprinklers, dripper hoses and automatic irrigation systems — cannot be used to water gardens or plants, clean cars, boats, windows, paths or patios, or to fill paddling pools, ponds, fountains or hot tubs, with filling a hot tub classed as recreational use under the notice. Water slides are also covered — and the vehicle ban extends to taxis and minicabs, which count as private motor vehicles.

The same jobs can still be done with a bucket or watering can — and water that does not come from the mains, such as rainwater from a water butt or a private borehole, can still be used through a hosepipe.

There are exceptions: Blue Badge holders and customers on Welsh Water’s Priority Services Register who cannot safely follow the ban for health reasons can continue using a hosepipe without seeking permission.

Newly laid turf can be watered by hosepipe for its first 28 days, trees and hedging planted within the last three years are exempt where a watering can is not reasonable, and the same applies to food crops — while businesses cleaning cars, windows or boats as a service to customers can carry on.

Among the more unusual exceptions: a hosepipe can be used to remove graffiti from a home where the graffiti is a hate crime or offensive — and pools and fountains at places of worship can be filled when used as part of a religious ceremony.

The hosepipe ban at a glance

The area’s network is supplied by the Teifi Pools reservoirs on the western edge of the Cambrian Mountains and water taken from the River Teifi at Llechryd — and the company says moving water in from other parts of Wales is not practical because of the terrain and the cost of pumping large volumes across country.

Demand has stayed significantly higher than normal for several weeks, it says, despite treatment works running at maximum capacity — with the pressure sharpest during the busiest parts of the day, when local storage tanks cannot refill fast enough.

The company says its teams are currently fixing around 700 leaks a week across Wales, with rezoning and tankers being used to move water into high-demand areas and production increased at treatment works.

The restrictions are described as a temporary emergency measure, to be lifted “as soon as temperatures fall, demand returns to more normal levels and the network is operating sustainably again”.

The prohibitions take effect under sections 76 and 76A–C of the Water Industry Act 1991 and remain in force until further notice — with anyone wanting to make formal representations against them needing to write to the company or email [email protected] by 9am on Sunday, one hour before the ban begins.

The company thanked customers for the efforts already made, saying that by avoiding non-essential use, “customers can help protect supplies for everyone during this exceptional period”.

Anyone unsure whether their property is affected can check their postcode at dwrcymru.com/en/drought/hosepipe-ban.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

HOSEPIPE BAN: Welsh Water warns restrictions likely this weekend for 33,000 homes
Friday’s warning that the ban was coming.

Rescue your summer garden with our hosepipe ban survival guide
How to keep plants alive without a hosepipe.

Hosepipe ban lifted in Pembrokeshire — but residents warned to ‘use water wisely’
How the last west Wales ban ended.

https://www.europesays.com/videos/57378/ Why are my water bills going up to pay for debt? | Wales This Week | ITV Cymru Wales #BILLS #debt #itv #ItvNews #ITVNewsInFull #PublicUtilities #Sewage #water #WaterCompanies #WelshWater

GOWER: Volunteers find sewage at beaches after heavy rain — but most winter water rated good or excellent

Volunteers testing the sea at Gower’s beaches through the winter have found most of the water in good condition — but detected sewage at several spots after heavy rain.

The bathing volunteers carried out 77 tests between January and May at five of the peninsula’s beaches: Pwllddu, Foxhole, Knab Rock, Oxwich and Caswell Bay.

Of those, 90% were rated good or excellent. But eight samples detected sewage — the presence of enterococci, coliform and E. coli bacteria.

Half of those eight were recorded at Knab Rock in Mumbles, following heavy rain in January and February. Two were found at Oxwich, on 3 February and 21 April, and two at Foxhole, on 19 January and 3 March.

The results have been passed to Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales for their own analysis.

It is the second winter the volunteers have stepped in to test the water, through a project run by the Gower Society and Nature Days scientist Dawn Thomas.

The scheme began in 2024, started by Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi alongside the two organisations, to fill a gap in the data.

During the summer, Natural Resources Wales regularly tests the water at Gower’s designated bathing beaches. But its budget does not stretch to cover the testing from October to May.

This winter, the volunteer programme could only begin in January because of a lack of funding.

Swansea-based manufacturer TIMET UK then stepped in with a donation to cover the cost of test kits, allowing the monitoring to continue into early May.

Ian Davies, manufacturing manager at TIMET UK, said the firm was “really happy to help such a valuable project in this area.”

Sarah Samuel, of the Gower Society, said the tests were helping to identify and tackle pollution early, so the beaches remained safe for wildlife and visitors.

Dawn Thomas, who has overseen the project, said the data was essential for making sure the water was safe and clean throughout the year.

She said she was delighted 90% of the results were good, but wanted to see that figure reach 100% by next winter.

The testing comes amid sustained pressure on Welsh Water over sewage. Last month the regulator confirmed a £44.7m enforcement package forcing the company to fix its sewage failures, while campaigners have rallied at Caswell Bay over what new data called the company’s worst decade for pollution.

Tonia Antoniazzi praised the volunteers behind the project, saying the state of the seawater was a major concern for her and hundreds of her constituents.

She said she was impressed by the people who had given up their free time “to be part of the solution.”

The full set of results is available on the project’s data page.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Gower volunteers’ success in winter-water testing to fight sewage in the sea
The first winter testing programme, last year.

Residents say they’re ‘Pooped Off’ with Gower sewage spills
The protest over spills from Welsh Water’s Bishopston Treatment Works.

Gower protesters rally at Caswell Bay as data reveals Welsh Water’s worst decade for pollution
Part of a national day of action against sewage.

KENFIG: ‘Unacceptable’ — Welsh Water under investigation over sewage pollution of River Kenfig

Welsh Water is under formal investigation over a string of pollution incidents that have caused “significant” damage to the River Kenfig — including to the Kenfig National Nature Reserve.

Natural Resources Wales says the environmental impact of repeated sewage discharges into the river is “unacceptable” — and has told the water company it expects a clean-up of affected stretches along with a long-term plan to restore the river’s biodiversity.

The problems centre on the Marlas Sewage Pumping Station near North Cornelly and its 9km rising main, which carries sewage to the Afan Wastewater Treatment Works in Port Talbot.

The pipeline has suffered recurring bursts since August 2023, leading to multiple pollution incidents — before the situation escalated in February this year with a continuous discharge from the pumping station itself.

That forced Welsh Water — Dŵr Cymru — to commission a temporary sewage treatment plant at the site, while the discharges continued to flow into the river, causing pollution, odour and harm to fish and other wildlife downstream.

The continuous discharge finally stopped on Tuesday, after the company completed a temporary overland pipeline to bypass the failing main.

But NRW warns there “remains the potential for additional incidents” until the infrastructure problems are fully fixed — and says it is building a case that could lead to enforcement action.

Huwel Manley, NRW’s head of operations for south west Wales, said: “This issue is extremely serious. The scale of environmental impact on the River Kenfig is unacceptable, and we understand the concern and frustration this has caused for local communities, as well as the damage to wildlife and the wider environment, including Kenfig National Nature Reserve.

“We are undertaking detailed investigations into these incidents and will take the appropriate action in line with our Enforcement and Sanctions Policy.”

He said the regulator could not share detailed information during the formal investigation, as disclosure “could risk prejudicing any enforcement outcome”.

“But we want people to be assured that we are closely monitoring the situation as we build our case,” he said. “Our officers are attending the site regularly to undertake important monitoring work, to continually assess the environmental impact and are ensuring DCWW delivers the necessary improvements.

“We have informed DCWW that we expect them to undertake remedial work to clean up affected stretches of the River Kenfig along with a plan for longer term enhancement of the river and its biodiversity.”

The Marlas station operates under a discharge permit allowing storm sewage or emergency discharges only within specific criteria — and NRW says its investigation is assessing suspected breaches of those permit conditions across each incident.

Welsh Water, which operates the site, is responsible for meeting the permit conditions and managing the impact of the discharges.

The investigation lands with Welsh Water already under intense scrutiny over its environmental record — just last week the company confirmed a £44.7m sewage improvement package, dismissed by critics as too little, too late.

Earlier this month, the First Minister ordered an investigation into the River Tawe after sewage and sickness concerns were raised in the Senedd.

And in May, new data revealed the company’s worst decade for pollution — prompting protesters to rally at Caswell Bay.

In response, Welsh Water said it is replacing 6km and renewing 3km of sewer main in the Kenfig and Port Talbot area at a cost of more than £13m, “following the escalated deterioration of the current main”.

A spokesperson said: “To minimise the impact this had on the environment, we installed a full wastewater treatment process at Marlas Sewage Pumping Station.

“This was done while 4.9km of temporary overland pipe was laid to link to the treatment works in Port Talbot. This has been operational since Monday and the spill to the Kenfig, which consisted of water treated at the temporary works, has ceased.”

The company said it was looking at “a river recovery plan for the Kenfig and the wider catchment” to improve biodiversity and restore water quality — with an aeration system remaining in the river around the clock to increase oxygen levels and support fish and wildlife.

“We are continuing to work with NRW, who are being provided with results from our sampling in the river,” the spokesperson added. “We would like to apologise to the community for the disruption this work is causing and for the impact we have had on the local environment.”

NRW says it will keep the community updated through a dedicated incident webpage.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

WELSH WATER: £44.7m sewage package confirmed — but critics say it is too little, too late
The company’s investment plans and the criticism that followed.

RIVER TAWE: First Minister orders investigation after sewage and sickness concerns raised in Senedd
The Tawe inquiry ordered after concerns were raised in the chamber.

GOWER: Protesters to rally at Caswell Bay — as new data reveals Welsh Water’s worst decade for pollution
The pollution figures that brought protesters to one of Swansea’s Blue Flag beaches.

TENBY: MP demands Welsh Water answers after boy hospitalised swimming in sea
North Beach lost its Blue Flag for a third time as questions mounted.

WELSH WATER: £44.7m sewage package confirmed — but critics say it is too little, too late

A multi-million-pound package forcing Welsh Water to put right years of sewage failures has been formally confirmed — but critics say it has come far too late for the rivers and beaches already paying the price.

The water regulator Ofwat has accepted a £44.7m enforcement package from Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, after finding “serious and unacceptable breaches” in how it ran its sewage network.

The package was first proposed by the company in March and has now been signed off following a public consultation.

For one Welsh MP, the confirmation was less a cause for celebration than an indictment of how long the problems were allowed to go on.

David Chadwick MP, the Welsh Liberal Democrats’ Westminster spokesperson, said the findings confirmed what communities across Wales had known for years.

“Welsh Water has been failing to do its job while rivers, streams and coastlines have paid the price,” he said.

He said people would be “rightly furious” that it had taken intervention from Ofwat and a £44.7m package to force action on failings he argued should have been addressed years ago.

Chadwick took aim at the company’s not-for-profit model, arguing it had still overseen serious wastewater failures while paying out large executive bonuses.

He said his party would keep pushing for stronger regulation, backed by properly resourced enforcement, to hold polluters to account and protect rivers.

Ofwat’s investigation found the company had failed to properly operate, maintain and upgrade its wastewater network, and lacked adequate oversight from senior bosses.

Of the total, £40.6m will go towards reducing spills at specific overflows and tackling groundwater getting into the sewer network, with a further £4.1m to improve river quality in what the regulator called “extremely sensitive catchments”.

The regulator said the package was larger than the £40m fine that would otherwise have been imposed, and stressed it would be funded by the company rather than added to customer bills.

Lynn Parker, Ofwat’s senior director for enforcement, said the investigation had found serious breaches that resulted in excessive spills to the environment.

She said that with the investigation now concluded, the company was expected to focus on putting things right so customers could regain trust in it.

The confirmation lands at the end of a punishing run of headlines for the company across the Swansea Bay News area.

Only last week, the First Minister ordered an investigation into the River Tawe after Senedd members raised reports of people falling ill after contact with the water.

Last month, campaigners rallied at Caswell Bay on Gower as part of a national day of action, after data revealed the company’s worst decade for pollution.

In Pembrokeshire, an MP demanded answers from Welsh Water after a boy was hospitalised following a swim in the sea off Tenby.

The company points to a separate report, published the same day, setting out record levels of investment.

It said it spent £617m on its water and wastewater network in 2025-26, including £134m on environmental improvements and £85m on cutting leaks.

Chief executive Roch Cheroux acknowledged the company had not delivered the level of service customers expected, particularly on environmental performance.

“That is why we are investing at record levels to improve resilience, strengthen ageing infrastructure and deliver more reliable services, while keeping bills as affordable as possible,” he said.

He said the company was also listening carefully to customers and communities so that its future plans reflected the issues that mattered most to them, pointing to a major engagement programme running across Wales this summer.

Jane Hanson CBE, chair of parent company Glas Cymru, said the firm had “focused relentlessly on building the foundations needed to deliver sustained improvements” over the past year.

She said its 2025-30 business plan was the most ambitious in the company’s history, with £6bn of total spending planned, but accepted there was “still a significant amount of work ahead”.

Those bills, however, are still going up. Welsh Water customers saw their charges rise by 4.8% in April, taking the average annual bill from £652 to £683.

The company says it provides financial support through social tariffs to around 150,000 customers, and is trying to lift its environmental rating from two stars to three.

Whether that turnaround convinces a public weary of sewage warnings and rising bills is, for now, an open question.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

RIVER TAWE: First Minister orders investigation after sewage and sickness concerns raised in Senedd
Natural Resources Wales asked to investigate reports of illness linked to the river.

GOWER: Protesters rally at Caswell Bay as data reveals Welsh Water’s worst decade for pollution
Campaigners join a national day of action against sewage spills.

TENBY: MP demands Welsh Water answers after boy hospitalised swimming in sea
North Beach loses its Blue Flag for the third time in four years.

Welsh Water bills to rise as Swansea households face £683 a year charge
Customers face higher charges amid anger over spills and service failures.

RIVER TAWE: First Minister orders investigation after sewage and sickness concerns raised in Senedd

The First Minister has asked Natural Resources Wales to investigate the River Tawe after concerns were raised in the Senedd about pollution and reports of people falling ill.

Rhun ap Iorwerth told the chamber he was aware of recent reports of sickness among people who had been swimming in the river.

“I am aware of and concerned about recent reported incidents of sickness when individuals have been swimming in the River Tawe,” he said.

“I have asked Natural Resources Wales to investigate the reports, and I will provide an update when further information becomes available.”

The issue was raised during First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday by Rebeca Phillips, the Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd.

She told the chamber that residents in the Swansea valley had reported a number of people, many of them children, falling ill after entering the water.

She asked the First Minister to provide assurance that the Government would “work closely with Natural Resources Wales and Dŵr Cymru to thoroughly investigate these incidents, and take the necessary action to safeguard public health and improve water quality.”

The First Minister said he would work with all the necessary bodies to ensure a joined-up approach to any investigation.

Mike Hedges, the Labour Member of the Senedd for Gŵyr Abertawe, who has worked with two local angling clubs on pollution in the river, pointed to the Trebanos waste water treatment works.

He told the chamber that the Trebanos pumping station was not separating rainwater and sewage, leaving limited options when it became full.

“When it gets full, the two choices are to let it back up and flood the houses with sewage or release it into the river,” he said.

He said Natural Resources Wales had confirmed that work to prevent the regular discharge of untreated sewage from the works was “not likely to be completed until 2030.”

“I do not believe that is acceptable,” he added.

Hedges also linked reports of children being taken ill after swimming in the river to the wider pollution problem, and raised concerns about run-off entering the water.

The Trebanos works, which serves Pontardawe, Rhyd-y-fro and Ystalyfera, was named by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water in 2020 as the worst of its 50 problem sites in Wales.

Local angling clubs, working with the campaign group Fish Legal, have logged repeated sewage spills into the river over a number of years.

The concerns in the Senedd came as a Clydach community councillor, Matthew Bailey, issued a public warning urging parents to keep children out of the river after several were reported to have become unwell.

His notice, shared by the Pontardawe and Swansea Angling Society, said Natural Resources Wales, the local authority and the Welsh Government had been notified.

It has not been independently confirmed what caused the reported illnesses.

The River Tawe has a long-documented history of sewage pollution, much of it linked to the Trebanos works upstream.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

River Tawe ‘one of the most sewage filled in the UK’
Analysis of Welsh Water data found the Tawe among the most sewage-hit rivers in the country.

Welsh Water bills to rise as Swansea households face £683 a year charge
Bills climbing as anger grows over sewage spills and under-investment.

Landmark water review recommends overhaul of Welsh regulation
Report called for a single regulator as sewage pollution hit record levels.

https://www.europesays.com/uk/990823/ ‘Overwhelming stench of sewage’ as Welsh river hit by ongoing spill #Bridgend #Environment #NeathPortTalbot #Science #UK #UnitedKingdom #WelshWater

https://www.europesays.com/videos/33110/ Wales on high alert as record-breaking heatwave intensifies | ITV Cymru Wales #Anglesey #Barmouth #CoreyEdwards #heatwave #itv #ItvNews #ITVNewsInFull #NordicWalking #RhonddaCynonTaf #UrddEisteddfod #WelshWater

https://www.europesays.com/videos/31505/ Welsh Water issues notice to boil water before drinking after treatment issue | ITV Cymru Wales #ChirkCastle #dementia #itv #ItvNews #ITVNewsInFull #TywiPath #WelshWater

TENBY: MP demands Welsh Water answers after boy hospitalised swimming in sea — as iconic North Beach loses Blue Flag for third time

Tenby North Beach has lost its Blue Flag status for the third time after its water quality dropped from “excellent” to “good” — triggering a furious response from the area’s MP and fresh calls for Welsh Water to be held to account.

Henry Tufnell, Conservative MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, has written to Welsh Water chief executive Roch Cheroux demanding an urgent plan to prevent further pollution incidents, after a young boy was hospitalised with sickness and diarrhoea following a swim in the sea at Tenby last week.

The same week, Natural Resources Wales issued a no-swim alert at Lydstep Haven — just a few miles from Tenby — due to concerns over water quality on 6 May, with warning signs still in place as late as 11 May.

Welsh Water subsequently clarified that the Lydstep incident was not linked to their infrastructure. NRW confirmed on 6 May that the no-swim alert at Lydstep was caused by a damaged privately owned sewerage system discharging onto the beach — not a Welsh Water overflow. Welsh Water said they had not spilled in the Tenby area for the preceding two months.

In his letter to Welsh Water, dated 12 May, Tufnell described the situation as “extremely concerning” and said Welsh Water’s poor environmental performance now posed “a serious risk to the health and wellbeing” of his constituents and visitors to the area.

“A situation like this has serious implications for our local economy, which relies heavily on tourism, particularly during the summer months when visitors rightly — and wisely — come to enjoy Pembrokeshire’s beaches,” he wrote. He asked Welsh Water to set out what immediate steps it would take to address the incidents at Lydstep and Tenby, and how it would ensure Pembrokeshire’s bathing waters were safe for everyone.

The loss of Tenby North’s Blue Flag was confirmed in today’s 2026 Wales Coast Awards, announced alongside the retention of Blue Flag status for a string of Swansea and Gower beaches. Pembrokeshire County Council did not apply for the Blue Flag for North Beach this year because the water quality had fallen below the required standard. Blue Flag beaches must meet the highest water quality thresholds — “good” is not sufficient to qualify.

The beach is one of Tenby’s most famous — used for Ironman Wales and the town’s Boxing Day Swim, and central to Tenby’s identity as one of Wales’s most celebrated coastal destinations. It previously held Blue Flag status for more than 25 consecutive years before first losing it in 2022.

This is the third time North Beach has lost the award. It failed to retain Blue Flag status in 2022 and 2023 when water quality dropped from “excellent” to “good”, recovered, and has now slipped again — raising serious questions about whether the underlying causes were ever fully resolved.

Water quality at Tenby North is tested by NRW each summer, with samples assessed for two types of bacteria. Welsh Water said the samples that triggered the downgrade were taken in July and August last year — and crucially, said there were no storm overflow spills in the area in the weeks leading up to those dates.

A Welsh Water spokesperson said: “These bacteria can originate from a range of environmental sources. Improving water quality is a shared challenge and progress will only come through coordinated action across sectors. Factors such as rural land use, urban runoff, industry, soil erosion, illegal misconnections and private septic systems all play a part.”

The company added it is investing more than £2.3 million a day to improve its services, including £2.5 billion between 2025 and 2030 on environmental improvements across Wales. NRW said it is actively investigating the reason for the drop in water quality, but no cause has yet been determined.

Owen Derbyshire, chief executive of Keep Wales Tidy, said the news was disappointing and described Tenby North as “an important local beauty spot and key tourist attraction.” He said the organisation was committed to working with authorities to help restore the beach’s water quality and regain its Blue Flag standing.

The area’s recent pollution history adds to the concern. In July 2024, Welsh Water reported a burst rising main near Tenby that sent sewage into the River Ritec, prompting NRW to declare an “abnormal situation” at Tenby South Beach, Castle Beach, North Beach and Penally Beach. Public warning signs were erected before being lifted after repairs and testing.

Tufnell said he would be speaking at the Broad Haven Paddle Out Protest on Saturday — part of a national day of action by Surfers Against Sewage across more than 50 locations — and said he would continue doing everything within his power to hold Welsh Water to account.

Tenby Castle Beach and South Beach have both retained their Blue Flag status in the 2026 awards — Castle Beach having held the award for an impressive 25 consecutive years — making the loss of North Beach’s flag all the more stark.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA: Four of Swansea’s beaches once again fly the Blue Flag — as the city’s marina picks up the award too
Caswell, Langland, Port Eynon and Swansea Marina all retain their Blue Flag status in 2026.

GOWER: Protesters to rally at Caswell Bay this Saturday as data reveals Welsh Water’s worst decade for pollution
Surfers Against Sewage mobilise across Wales this weekend as Welsh Water’s pollution record comes under scrutiny.

Welsh Water told to pay £45m for ‘unacceptable’ sewage failures
Ofwat found serious and unacceptable breaches in Welsh Water’s sewage operations.

PORT TALBOT: Aberavon beach wins prestigious Seaside Award
The only beach in Neath Port Talbot to be recognised in the 2026 Wales Coast Awards.

GOWER: Protesters to rally at Caswell Bay this Saturday — one of Swansea’s Blue Flag beaches — as new data reveals Welsh Water’s worst decade for pollution

Caswell Bay — one of Swansea’s Blue Flag beaches, as recognised just this week — will be among the locations hosting a sewage protest this Saturday as grassroots charity Surfers Against Sewage mobilises demonstrators at more than 50 sites across the UK.

The Gower protest takes place at Caswell Bay at 10am on Saturday 16 May. A further demonstration is planned at Broad Haven in Pembrokeshire at 1.30pm, and at Porthcawl’s Coney Beach at 3pm.

The protests coincide with the start of the bathing season and new polling revealing that more than half of the UK public — 53% — worry they will get sick if they swim in rivers, lakes or seas due to poor water quality. One in six say they or someone they know has already become ill from sewage pollution.

The Welsh picture is stark. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water discharged sewage more than 100,000 times in 2025, for over 813,000 hours. The company recorded its highest number of pollution incidents in a decade in 2024 and has now received a two-star environmental performance rating for three consecutive years.

NRW data published last year showed Welsh Water was responsible for 155 pollution incidents in 2024, including 132 linked to sewerage assets — a 42% rise over ten years. The Loughor estuary was among the worst-affected catchments. Welsh Water was subsequently ordered to pay a £45 million enforcement package after a watchdog found serious and unacceptable breaches in its operation of sewage works.

In Wales alone, Surfers Against Sewage received 202 sickness reports linked to polluted water in 2025. Welsh Water customers face annual bills of £639 — among the highest across England and Wales — while 41% of the company’s revenue goes towards servicing debt rather than improving infrastructure.

Kate Bassett-Jones, protest lead at Broad Haven, said the local beach saw 116 sewage alerts in 2025 alone — a pollution warning every three days.

“For a place renowned for its stunning coastline and thriving marine environment, this should not be happening,” she said. “Local people should be able to enjoy the sea safely all year round, and visitors should not have to worry about getting sick when they come to Pembrokeshire. Communities are fed up with sewage pollution being treated as normal. Enough is enough.”

Saturday’s protest is not the first time Gower residents have taken direct action over the issue. A “Pooped Off” demonstration was previously held near Welsh Water’s Bishopston treatment works, with campaigners citing repeated discharges near Caswell and Brandy Cove.

Community groups have also been running their own water quality monitoring — Gower Society volunteers collected more than 275 samples across 13 beaches last winter, using Surfers Against Sewage laboratories, after NRW acknowledged it only has the budget to test between May and October.

Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, described Wales’s water system as catastrophically failing, with polluted waters, high bills and a lack of accountability.

“Welsh Water has spent years illegally dumping sewage, misleading regulators and using customer bills to pay executive bonuses, all whilst water users get sick and foot ever-increasing bills,” he said. “Meanwhile, a failing regulator plods along without proper funding or power to tackle the problem.”

Natural Resources Wales, which regulates the water industry in Wales, has been affected by repeated budget cuts and is increasingly viewed by campaigners as unfit for purpose. A Senedd committee has warned that it does not have the resources needed to properly protect Welsh waterways, while the regulator has announced plans to adopt a higher tolerance of risk when investigating pollution incidents.

Bristow said campaigners were paddling out across Wales to show the newly-elected Welsh Government they would not back down until it takes the action needed to end the sewage crisis.

Protesters are calling for legally binding targets to end untreated sewage discharges into Welsh waterways, more funding and enforcement powers for Natural Resources Wales, and a world-leading water quality testing programme. Currently, water quality testing takes place only during the May to September bathing season at designated bathing waters — while people in Wales swim, surf, kayak and fish year-round.

Among those joining protests elsewhere in the UK is Julie Maughan, whose daughter Heather Preen died from E. coli after visiting a Devon beach in 1999. Actors from Channel 4’s docudrama Dirty Business — which told Heather’s story and has drawn comparisons with Mr Bates vs the Post Office — are also supporting the protests.

Saturday’s protests follow commitments from all political parties during the recent Senedd election to tackle sewage pollution, which campaigners describe as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the Welsh water system.

The full list of Welsh protest locations on Saturday 16 May: Caswell Bay, Swansea (10am); Llanberis, Llyn Padarn (11am); Broad Haven, Pembrokeshire (1.30pm); Porthcawl, Coney Beach (3pm); Barry Island, Whitemore Bay (4pm); Aberystwyth, North Beach (6.30pm).

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA: Four of Swansea’s beaches once again fly the Blue Flag — as the city’s marina picks up the award too
Caswell, Langland, Port Eynon and Swansea Marina all retain their Blue Flag status in 2026.

Welsh Water told to pay £45m for ‘unacceptable’ sewage failures
Ofwat found serious and unacceptable breaches in how Welsh Water operated its sewage works, leading to excessive spills.

Welsh Water under pressure as sewage pollution incidents hit ten-year high
NRW data showing 132 sewerage pollution incidents in 2024 and the Loughor among the worst-affected catchments.

Residents say they’re ‘Pooped Off’ with Gower sewage spills
Gower residents staged a demonstration at Welsh Water’s Bishopston treatment works over repeated discharges near Caswell and Brandy Cove.

Gower volunteers’ success in winter-water testing to fight sewage in the sea
The Gower Society collected 275+ samples across 13 beaches last winter, filling the gap left by NRW’s May-October testing budget.

Welsh Water told to pay £45m for ‘unacceptable’ sewage failures

Water regulator Ofwat said its investigation found the not-for-profit company had failed to adequately operate, maintain, and upgrade its wastewater assets.

It also found that Welsh Water’s senior management and Board failed to have proper oversight to ensure the company was meeting its legal requirements.

In response, Welsh Water has apologised and accepted the findings, agreeing to a redress package that will fund environmental improvements rather than being paid from customer bills.

Lynn Parker, Senior Director for Enforcement at Ofwat, said the investigation had uncovered significant failings.

“Our investigation has found serious and unacceptable breaches in how Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has operated and maintained its sewage works and networks, which has resulted in excessive spills from storm overflows to the environment,” she said.

“We now expect them to focus on putting things right so that customers can regain trust in their water company and the critical service they provide.”

Ofwat said the £44.7m package will be funded from Welsh Water’s retained profits, as the company does not have shareholders.

The bulk of the money – £40.6 million – will be targeted at reducing spills at specific overflows and tackling groundwater seeping into the sewer network, which is a major cause of frequent spills.

A further £4.1 million will be invested to improve river water quality, including a new £1 million ‘Cymuned Natur’ fund to support local environmental groups.

Welsh Water said it had already started a “major transformation programme” to improve performance and strengthen oversight.

A spokesperson for the company said: “We accept the findings of Ofwat’s investigation and apologise for where we have fallen short of the standards that our customers and regulators rightly expect from us.”

“We have already taken steps to strengthen our governance, oversight and compliance arrangements as part of a wider transformation programme across the business.”

The company added that the redress package was in addition to the £4.2 billion it is investing between 2025 and 2030, with £2.5 billion of that dedicated to environmental improvements.

Ofwat’s investigation into Welsh Water is the seventh case in a wider probe into the wastewater sector, which has now resulted in enforcement packages totalling over £300 million.

A public consultation on the proposed enforcement package is now open and will close on April 2.

School closed and residents without water

Contractors disturbed the water supply whilst carrying out work in the area 10:47, 06 Mar 2026Updated 11:57, 06…
#NewsBeep #News #Environment #Denbighshire #environment #Rhyl #Science #UK #UnitedKingdom #Walesschools #WelshWater
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/460994/

https://www.europesays.com/uk/808232/ School closed and residents without water #Denbighshire #Environment #Rhyl #Science #UK #UnitedKingdom #WalesSchools #WelshWater

Brynymor Road sinkhole larger than expected, says councillor

The sinkhole that forced the closure of Brynymor Road in Swansea last week is “significantly larger than first anticipated,” according to Uplands councillor Peter May, who shared an update on social media after meeting with Welsh Water engineers.

Cllr May said the company had accepted liability for the collapse, which is believed to have been caused by a major leak just above the affected area. That leak was repaired last week, but engineers are still working to assess the full extent of the damage beneath the surface.

“The hole is significantly larger than first anticipated,” he wrote, “and when I left site they were still trying to find the extent of the void under the road.” Based on surface cracking, the damage could stretch around three metres wide, five to six metres long, and just over one metre deep.

Welsh Water plans to excavate the area fully, backfill it with new material, and reinstate the carriageway. While repairs were initially hoped to be completed by Thursday evening, Cllr May said that timeline was “somewhat optimistic” and that a Friday reopening was more likely.

“There was a significant leak just above the sinkhole which was repaired last week,” he added. “Welsh Water agree that this has in all probability caused the collapse.”

Council investigation continues

Swansea Council last issued an update on 24 November, confirming that highways teams had begun investigating the cause of the sinkhole, which appeared at the junction of Brynymor Road and Westbury Street.

The council said the road would be reinstated once the investigation was complete and the area made safe. In the meantime, Brynymor Road remains closed to traffic between Westbury Street and Eaton Crescent. Westbury Street itself is open, but there is no access onto Brynymor Road from that junction. The section of Brynymor Road between St Helen’s Road and King Edward Road remains open to traffic.

#brynymorCrescent #brynymorRoad #eatonCrescent #kingEdwardRoad #roadClosure #sinkhole #stHelensRoad #swansea #swanseaCouncil #uplands #welshWater #westburyStreet

Welsh Government says South West Wales bathing waters rated ‘excellent’ – but sewage and pollution issues cast shadow

The 2025 results, published this week, show that 98% of bathing waters across Wales met strict environmental standards following monitoring by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Officials say the findings demonstrate the resilience of Wales’s beaches and the success of ongoing efforts to protect water quality.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca‑Davies said the results reflected “our commitment to protecting water quality” and praised communities and partners for working together towards a cleaner Wales.

Mary Lewis, Head of Natural Resource Management at NRW, added:

“Our wonderful beaches and bathing waters are an important part of Wales’s identity and culture… The results reflect the dedication of our teams, partners, environmental groups and communities who protect and care for our environment.”

Local results at a glance

Sewage spills and enforcement fines temper the good news

While the classifications are positive, they come against a backdrop of ongoing public concern about water quality.

Residents in Gower have repeatedly voiced frustration over sewage spills affecting popular beaches, saying they feel “pooped off” by the frequency of incidents. Campaigners argue that these spills undermine public confidence in official bathing water ratings.

💧 What do bathing water ratings mean?

Excellent
The highest standard. Water quality is consistently very good, giving strong reassurance for swimmers and visitors.

Good
Meets high standards but with occasional dips in quality. Still safe for bathing, though less consistent than ‘excellent’ sites.

Sufficient
Passes the minimum EU and UK requirements. Bathing is permitted, but water quality may be variable and less reliable.

Poor
Fails to meet the required standards. Official advice is against bathing due to risks to health.

Who sets the ratings?
Natural Resources Wales monitors designated bathing waters during the season (May–September) and classifies them under Welsh Government regulations.

Why it matters:
Ratings guide public health advice, tourism confidence and environmental management. They reflect long‑term monitoring, not just daily conditions.

Rivers and coastlines under pressure

Beyond the beaches, rivers in South West Wales have also been highlighted as pollution hotspots. The River Tawe was recently ranked among the most sewage‑affected in the UK, raising questions about how inland water quality connects to coastal bathing standards.

In Pembrokeshire, warnings have been issued about sewage pollution at popular beaches, prompting local MPs to challenge regulators and water companies during Welsh Affairs Committee hearings.

Calls for reform and a sewage action plan

The wider debate has led to growing political pressure. Campaigners and politicians, including Welsh MPs, have called for a national sewage action plan to tackle pollution at its source. At the same time, Welsh Government has outlined plans to overhaul water regulation, promising reforms that put “people, the environment and future generations at its heart.”

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca‑Davies acknowledged that climate change and heavy rainfall — including 170% of average levels in September — can significantly affect water quality. He said maintaining standards will require “sustained investment, innovation, and partnership working across all sectors.”

A mixed picture for South West Wales

The headline figures show South West Wales beaches performing strongly, with almost all rated ‘excellent’. But the wider context of sewage spills, enforcement fines and river pollution means the story is more complex.

For swimmers and visitors, the classifications provide reassurance about water quality at designated sites. Yet campaigners insist that behind the ratings lies a system under strain, with regulators, water companies and government facing mounting pressure to deliver lasting improvements.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Welsh Water under pressure as sewage pollution incidents hit ten‑year high
Regulators report a surge in sewage discharges, sparking calls for tougher enforcement across Wales.

Residents say they’re ‘pooped off’ with Gower sewage spills
Locals express frustration over repeated sewage incidents affecting popular beaches on the Gower peninsula.

Welsh Water fined £1.35m for over 800 breaches to sewage discharge permits
The company faces a record penalty after failing to control pollution at treatment sites across Wales.

River Tawe one of the most sewage‑filled in the UK
New analysis ranks the Tawe among Britain’s most polluted rivers, raising concerns for downstream bathing waters.

#aberafanBeach #aberavonBeach #barafundle #bathingWaterQuality #beaches #braceletBay #caswellBay #cefnSidanBeach #dwrCymru #freshwaterWest #huwIrrancaDaviesMs #langlandBay #naturalResourcesWales #newgale #pembrey #pendineSands #pollution #porthcawl #restBay #rhossiliBay #sandyBay #sewage #swanseaBay #tenby #treccoBay #waterQuality #welshGovernment #welshWater #whitesandsBeach

Ofwat accused of ‘meaningless gesture’ after reducing Thames Water penalty | Water industry | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/14/thames-water-underperformance-penalty-ofwat-regulator

#ThamesWater
#Ofwat
#Fine
#Underperformance
#HenleyMermaidsWildSwimmingGroup
#Leaks
#Sewage
#CostOfLivingCrisis
#Rivers
#SouthernWater
#DwrCymru
#WelshWater
#AnglianWater
#SevernTrent
#UnitedUtilities

Ofwat accused of ‘meaningless gesture’ after reducing Thames Water penalty | Water industry | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/14/thames-water-underperformance-penalty-ofwat-regulator

#ThamesWater
#Ofwat
#Fine
#Underperformance
#HenleyMermaidsWildSwimmingGroup
#Leaks
#Sewage
#CostOfLivingCrisis
#Rivers
#SouthernWater
#DwrCymru
#WelshWater
#AnglianWater
#SevernTrent
#UnitedUtilities

Ofwat accused of ‘meaningless gesture’ after reducing Thames Water penalty | Water industry | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/14/thames-water-underperformance-penalty-ofwat-regulator

#ThamesWater
#Ofwat
#Fine
#Underperformance
#HenleyMermaidsWildSwimmingGroup
#Leaks
#Sewage
#CostOfLivingCrisis
#Rivers
#SouthernWater
#DwrCymru
#WelshWater
#AnglianWater
#SevernTrent
#UnitedUtilities

Ofwat accused of ‘meaningless gesture’ after reducing Thames Water penalty | Water industry | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/14/thames-water-underperformance-penalty-ofwat-regulator

#ThamesWater
#Ofwat
#Fine
#Underperformance
#HenleyMermaidsWildSwimmingGroup
#Leaks
#Sewage
#CostOfLivingCrisis
#Rivers
#SouthernWater
#DwrCymru
#WelshWater
#AnglianWater
#SevernTrent
#UnitedUtilities

Untreated sewage illegally spilled for years, Welsh Water admits | The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/business/sewage-welsh-water-cardigan-rivers-b2432291.html

#WelshWater
#Sewage
#SewageDischarges
#WindrushAgainstSewagePollution
#IllegalSewageDischarges
#NaturalResourcesWales
#Cardigan

Untreated sewage illegally spilled for years, Welsh Water admits | The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/business/sewage-welsh-water-cardigan-rivers-b2432291.html

#WelshWater
#Sewage
#SewageDischarges
#WindrushAgainstSewagePollution
#IllegalSewageDischarges
#NaturalResourcesWales
#Cardigan