Lib Dems Criticise Labour’s Failures Over Local Sewage Scandal
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have criticised the Welsh Labour & UK governments over new figures showing devastating levels of sewage entering local rivers.
According to recently published data, the River Severn in north Powys and the River Usk and River Wye in South Powys are amongst the worst-polluted rivers in the entire UK.
Figures released today show that Dwr Cymru released sewage into rivers, lakes and the sea for more than 968,000 hours last year, an increase compared to more than 916,000 hours the year before, despite the public outrage and campaigns by groups like the Liberal Democrats and Surfers Against Sewage.
Meanwhile, Hafren Dyfrdwy - which covers Montgomeryshire and parts of Radnorshire, 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.
All three large rivers in Powys have ranked among the top 20 polluted rivers across the UK:
- The River Severn, 6th worst in the UK, 2,809 dumps for over 26,083 hours.
- The River Usk, 18th worst in the UK, 1,761 dumps for over 14,743 hours.
- The River Wye, 19th worst in the UK 2,014 dumps for over 14,640 hours.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats, who have been campaigning to clean up Welsh rivers over several years, have stated that the new figures were ‘catastrophic’ for local wildlife and risk damaging tourism and public health.
The Party has stated that the Welsh Government have been ‘asleep at the wheel’, using Dwr Cymru’s position as a so-called ‘non-profit’ and ‘arm’s length’ organisation to avoid proper regulation and accountability.
They have also criticised the previous Conservative UK Government for failing to clamp down on the financial regulation of water companies, with Dwr Cymru having paid out huge bonuses to executives in recent years, despite having one of the worst environmental records of all companies and continuing to charge customers the highest bills in the UK.
Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Member for Mid & West Wales Jane Dodds said:
“The Welsh Liberal Democrats have consistently pressed both the UK and Welsh Governments to take meaningful action on this growing environmental crisis. Yet, Welsh Labour has remained asleep at the wheel—using Dŵr Cymru’s status as an arm’s-length body as an excuse to avoid proper regulation and accountability.
“As a result, we’ve seen Dŵr Cymru hike customer bills and hand out ridiculously large bonuses to its executives, all while ranking among the worst water polluters in the UK.
“Our rivers and seas are vital to our wildlife, our culture, and our economy—particularly tourism—and they deserve far better stewardship.”
Adding his comments, Welsh Lib Dem Senedd Candidate for Gwynedd Maldwyn (Montgomeryshire & Gwynedd) and Llanidloes County Councillor Glyn Preston said:
“For years, the Conservatives allowed water companies to get away with polluting our beautiful local rivers while paying out massive and undeserved bonuses, all while charging Welsh customers record-breaking prices.
“The Welsh Labour Government must get to grips with this crisis and properly regulate Welsh Water and ensure there are real, enforceable punishments for breaking the rules and damaging our waterways.
“We’ve been pushing them for years on this issue, but they’ve totally failed to even start to get to grips with it. If elected to the Senedd next year, I will use my voice to continue to hold both water companies and governments to account.
ENDS