Raw sewage has been found to have been unnecessarily pumped into a Welsh river for a shocking 18 months, as reported by Wales Online. The Cleddau Project, a group of citizen scientists, uncovered that Welsh Water (Dŵr Cymru) discharged 56,000 cubic metres of untreated wastewater into the Western Cleddau at Picton in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, between July 2022 and February 2024. This amounted to about 17 tanker loads per day, even though it was deemed unnecessary.
The Cleddau Project campaigners highlighted that the pumping station at Picton was running at 80% capacity during this period, indicating that the system was not overwhelmed. Normally, sewage should be directed to treatment plants for proper processing before being released into the river. However, in cases of high rainfall, water companies are permitted to discharge untreated sewage through combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to prevent flooding.
Despite the availability of a nearby sewage treatment plant at Merlin’s Bridge, the wastewater from Picton was continuously pumped into the river unnecessarily. This led to the direct discharge of faeces, toilet tissue, and wet wipes into the watercourse, causing environmental damage to the conservation area.
Following concerns raised by the Cleddau Project regarding the overflow at Picton, environmental information requests were made to Welsh Water. Data analysis revealed that the pumps at Picton consistently underperformed, resulting in the discharge of untreated sewage into the Cleddau river.
Welsh Water has since apologised for the incident and stated that upgrades have been made to the pumping station at Picton to mitigate such spills. However, volunteers from the Cleddau Project accused Welsh Water of not adhering to pumping regulations set by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and criticised NRW for not taking sufficient action to address the issue promptly.
The Cleddau Project emphasised the need for improved regulatory practices by NRW to prevent such pollution incidents. They called for swift actions based on public reports and sensor data to avoid environmental harm caused by untreated sewage discharges. The group stressed the importance of holding water companies accountable for their actions to protect rivers and the surrounding communities.
In response, Welsh Water pledged to enhance its monitoring and regulatory practices to ensure compliance with flow conditions across Wales. NRW acknowledged the need for collaboration with community groups like the Cleddau Project to safeguard the quality of rivers and seas. Efforts are being made to address the pumping station issues and strengthen regulations to prevent future environmental breaches.
The case of raw sewage being pumped needlessly into the Welsh river underscores the importance of proper wastewater management and regulatory oversight to protect the environment and public health. The Cleddau Project’s vigilance serves as a reminder of the critical role citizen scientists play in monitoring and highlighting environmental concerns, urging authorities and water companies to uphold higher standards of environmental stewardship.