Welsh Water fined £1.35 million for sewage including Powys
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water must also pay £70,237.70 in court costs after it was brought before Wrexham Magistrates' Court on Thursday (May 15) for sentencing.
Some of the locations include Llandrindod Wells in Powys, and coastal towns Tywyn, Pwllheli and Abersoch in nearby Gwynedd.
The charges relate to the company's self-monitoring data submitted to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as part of its 2020 and 2021 annual reports. Due to the volume of non-compliances, the charges were summarised into 18 offences for the court's benefit.
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water pleaded guilty to 15 out of the 18 charges at Llandudno Magistrates Court on October 16, last year, before accepting the remainder of the Taken into Consideration (TIC) charges, on December 17.
Since 2010, there has been a requirement on water companies to carry out self-monitoring of their effluent discharges from their sewage works and water treatment works.
Following the sentencing hearing, a spokesperson for NRW explained that they were alarmed to find that the quality of the information provided in the water company's 2020 annual report had noticeably deteriorated compared to previous years, with over 600 breaches recorded across some 300 sites in Wales and Herefordshire.
In interviews, and in their defence in court, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water explained that an internal restructure of the sampling team and IT-related scheduling issues coupled with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic were the main factors in the deterioration.
Help support trusted local news
Sign up for a digital subscription now: www.countytimes.co.uk/subscribe
As a digital subscriber you will get
Unlimited access to the County Times website
Advert-light access
Reader rewards
Full access to our app
While the situation had significantly improved by the submission of the 2021 annual report, a number of non-compliances were again identified, albeit these were less in number.
NRW added that missing samples and data from the 2020 reporting year meant that NRW was unable to fully assess or respond to any environmental impacts.
Siân Williams, Head of Operations from Natural Resources Wales said: 'This case highlights inadequacies in the processes at Dŵr Cymru which led to widespread permit breaches across Wales and over the border during a period of two years.
'While we appreciate the disruption all businesses faced during 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic, we believe the failings shown by Dŵr Cymru were avoidable should better contingency planning have been in place.
'Dŵr Cymru's performance has continued to decline for a number of years now, and this is a stark warning to the company that we will not hesitate to use our enforcement powers to secure the improvements we expect to see.'
NRW has downgraded Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water from a four-star (industry leading) company in 2020 to two-star (requires improvement) company in 2022 and 2023 as part of its annual Environmental Performance Assessment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
14 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
North Wales institutions launch new education partnership
The North Wales Tertiary Alliance (NWTA) brings together Bangor University, Wrexham University, Coleg Cambria, and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai in a joint effort to strengthen education and skills development, drive economic growth, and improve life opportunities across the region. The alliance was officially launched on Tuesday, August 5, at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham. Yana Williams, chief executive of Coleg Cambria, said: "This collaboration brings together the scale and diversity of our institutions to enhance learner opportunities and serve the varied needs of North Wales. "By aligning with the goals of MEDR, the new Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, we're committed to continuous improvement and a more joined-up education system." The NWTA aims to create a more cohesive, inclusive, and connected tertiary education system by improving progression pathways, launching joint initiatives, and encouraging innovation in training and research. Aled Jones-Griffith, chief executive of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, said: "We want to make it easier for young people to move from school into college and university, and for adults to re-engage with learning at any stage. "This alliance will help us support people into quality jobs and close the gap between vocational and academic routes." The four institutions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing to work together for four years. Key goals include boosting progression from further to higher education, developing skills pipelines that meet regional economic needs, promoting bilingual and Welsh-medium provision, and delivering high-quality training from entry-level to degree apprenticeships. The alliance also aims to expand research and innovation with civic and economic impact. Professor Edmund Burke, vice-chancellor of Bangor University, said: "By working closely together, we can ensure that we provide a wide range of opportunities for students, businesses and the region. "The NWTA strengthens pathways and helps us to deliver a more accessible, flexible, and future-ready education system." Professor Joe Yates, vice-chancellor of Wrexham University, said: "We're united by the belief that collaboration unlocks solutions. "This alliance focuses on raising participation in higher-level skills, especially in underrepresented communities, and building the workforce needed in both the public and private sectors." The NWTA will also engage with industry, the public sector, and businesses in Wales and beyond to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy. As the Curriculum for Wales is introduced, the alliance plans to build stronger links with schools to encourage young people to pursue further education and training.
Business News Wales
2 hours ago
- Business News Wales
Wales Construction Workloads Rise for Fifth Consecutive Quarter
Construction workloads in Wales continued to rise through the second quarter of the year according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Construction Monitor, underpinned by activity in both public and private housing. A net balance of 22% of surveyor respondents in Wales reported a rise in overall construction activity, which is the highest this balance has been since early 2022. This includes increases in both public and private sector housebuilding activity, with a net balance of 38% of respondents noting a rise in public housing workloads and a net balance of 24% reporting there was an increase in the private sector. Looking at the other subsectors, 'other public works' (a net balance of 13%), private commercial (a net balance of 29%) and infrastructure (a net balance of 11%) workloads saw increases in activity, whilst the private industrial sector was the only one to see a decline, with a net balance of -25% of Welsh respondents reporting a fall. Surveyors in Wales remain optimistic about future workloads, according to the survey, but less so than seen previously. A net balance of 14% of respondents expect an increase over the next year, which is down from the 20% that was reported in the first quarter of the year. When it comes to profit margins, surveyors in Wales expect that these to be fall flat over the next 12-months. Whilst this figure is subdued, it is up from the net balance of -7% that was reported in the survey previous. Welsh surveyors continue to report shortages in skilled workers. 58% report a shortage in quantity surveyors, 46% note a shortfall in other construction professionals and 47% report a deficit in bricklayers, all of which were similar figures reported in the first survey of the year. Despite the continuing growth in workloads in the sector, survey respondent Richard Blakemore of FR Consultants Ltd in Barmouth noted that there are Building Safety Regulator decision delays. Robert Davies of Penfro Consultancy Limited also said: 'A lack of clear visibility of local government expenditure and the protracted planning process are impacting release of projects to the construction delivery phase.' Sam Rees, interim head of public affairs UK&I at RICS, added: 'It's encouraging to see construction activity picking up in Wales and housing being the main driver. This was also evidenced in NHBC's most recent quarterly report which also shows a rise in the number of new homes registered in Wales. However, it is important to note that even with an uplift in activity, there is still much progress to be made in building enough homes to meet housing need. The Welsh Government has an ambitious target of creating 20,000 homes by next year, and it's hoped this momentum can continue, particularly in regard to social and affordable housing.' Commenting on the UK picture, RICS Chief Economist, Simon Rubinsohn, said: 'The underlying tone in the construction sector remains subdued according to the latest feedback from RICS members. There is a little more positivity looking forward but the indicators, at this point, are consistent with a modest rather than material uplift in development. 'Given that planning continues to be viewed as the major factor hindering the industry from upscaling its building programme, it is quite conceivable that the passing of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will in due course see industry expectations move onto a firmer footing. That said, the need to ensure the building safety regime works more smoothly is also highlighted quite widely in the survey as a factor that would likely impact the pace of development. 'The other big challenge remains around skills. While typically much of the conversation is focused of shortages of trades such as bricklayers and plumbers, the RICS survey highlights recruitment issues amongst professionals involved in the construction industry with building control surveyors and quantity surveyors in short supply.'
Business News Wales
2 hours ago
- Business News Wales
Welsh Language Commissioner Launches Policy on the Use of AI
The Welsh Language Commissioner has announced a policy on the use of AI by organisations that fall under the Welsh Language Standards. In adopting new technologies it is essential that organisations continue to comply with Welsh language standards, the Commissioner said. Since the introduction of Welsh language standards in 2016, much has changed in the area of technology, with the use of Welsh in AI systems more effective than ever before, the Commissioner added. The use of AI enables organisations to provide more efficient, personalised and accessible services offering significant benefits to the Welsh language, the Commissioner said, potentially ensuring that the language 'remains relevant and alive in a digital world'. Osian Llywelyn, Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner and Director of Regulation, said: 'The field of artificial intelligence is developing at a fast pace and is sure to fundamentally change how we communicate with each other and the world around us, while at the same time offering valuable opportunities to improve the services provided in Wales. 'The Welsh language standards ensure that Welsh is treated equally with English and remains a living language in our everyday lives. It is therefore important that any technological developments are regulated in a way that continues to reflect consumer habits, ensuring that the Welsh language is maintained and promoted in the digital world. 'We are supportive of the use of AI as it offers unique opportunities to improve services, but this must be done in a way that respects and promotes our language and culture. We hope that the publication of this policy today will be a means of assisting in doing so effectively.' A discussion on the use of artificial intelligence in the field of Welsh language services is set to see a panel of experts and users joining Osian Llywelyn to discuss this field of work. One of the contributors will be Osian Jones from the Centre for Digital Public Services who works with organisations to transform services in Wales. He said: 'The Digital Services Standard for Wales has been developed in collaboration with the Welsh Government and local authorities across Wales. It defines what good public services look like in Wales and helps public organisations design and deliver efficient and cost-effective services that are focused on the needs of the consumer. 'Our aim as a Centre is to help organisations deliver quality public services and make them easy to use. By working together, we hope that we can ensure that Wales continues to be a leader in technology, while also maintaining and promoting our unique language and culture.'
