Sewage leaks catastrophic, say campaigners

Campaigners have accused Welsh Water of showing a lack of ambition when it comes to reducing water pollution.

Latest figures show the water company released sewage into rivers, lakes and the sea for more than 968,000 hours last year, compared to more than 916,000 hours the year before.

Giles Bristow, CEO of environmental group Surfers Against Sewage, said the levels were "catastrophic" and accused Welsh Water of having "no shame" over the amount of sewage being released.

Welsh Water said it was investing £2.5bn over the next five years to improve the environment.

Analysis of Welsh Water's figures show sewage was discharged 118, 276 times last year, which equates to an average of more than one sewage spill every five minutes.

The total number of hours that sewage was discharged for was 968,340.

In its annual water quality report, Surfers Against Sewage claimed the figures were the highest number for any water company in the UK.

Rules allow a limited discharge of sewage in periods of excess rain, but environmental groups remain concerned the levels pose a threat to wildlife and a health risk to swimmers.

Water companies have to report annual storm overflows and last month figures revealed companies released raw sewage into England's rivers and seas for a record 3.61 million hours in 2024.

Hafren Dyfrdwy - which operates in mid and north-east Wales - had 1,810 sewage spills last year, the equivalent of 17,001 hours.

That compares to 1,899 spills in 2023 lasting 16,229 hours.

Hafren Dyfrdwy has been asked to comment.

Bills for Welsh Water customers rose by 27% at the start of April, with the average annual bill going up from £503 to £639.

Mr Bristow said: "The sheer lack of ambition shown by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to reduce pollution shows they have no shame over the catastrophic levels of sewage they are spewing into Wales' beautiful coastline, rivers and lakes.

"Welsh waters have been polluted for far too long and the whole system is to blame.

"It absolutely jars that we're being asked to pay more for helping to clean up our water when it should have been happening the whole time, it's about getting things right so that we're investing in our future."

A spokesperson for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water said it operated over 2,300 storm overflows in Wales, described as a "very high number of assets for a relatively small population".

"Many of our rural communities are served by smaller sewerage networks and storm overflows, which are essential to ensure networks do not become overwhelmed and flood properties.

"A spill from a very small rural overflow in Wales counts the same as a huge storm overflow in a large UK city that you could drive a bus though."

Welsh Water is investing £2.5bn over the next five years on projects to improve the environment, including £889m on investigating and improving storm overflows, they added.

Environmental regulator Natural Resources Wales said: "We have been very clear with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water that it is imperative we see a step change in their performance, and a significant reduction in pollution incidents.

"Over the next five years, we will be closely monitoring water companies, making sure that they achieve the improvements needed to rectify the discharges that are known to cause the most harm to the environment."

The Welsh government said it has launched a wide-ranging joint review with Defra into policy and regulation.

"We will continue working closely with partners in government and across the water sector to realise our shared goals of a cleaner and more environmentally responsible Wales - for us and for those who come after us," it added.