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Wales Online
28-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
North Wales bridge swept away in storm won't be replaced over water supply fears
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Plans to replace a bridge destroyed in a storm have been scrapped. Denbighshire County Council cabinet yesterday voted to abandon plans to replace Llanerch Bridge which was destroyed during Storm Christoph in 2021, when the River Clwyd burst its banks. Council officers warned that if they drilled into the riverbed, it could contaminate a water supply to 85,000 homes. That's because the old bridge, which connected Trefnant and Tremeirchion, was above a vital freshwater aquifer that Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water uses to supply drinking water to residents. Councillors heard how drilling into sandstone layers could create fissures, contaminating the lake. Paul Jacksons, the council's head of highways and environmental services. said: 'There's not been a design solution that has been found that completely removes the risk to that water asset. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. 'Therefore, the detailed design stage has concluded that it is not possible to construct a new bridge without the required foundations penetrating the weathered section of sandstone and putting a potential fissure in the aquifer, and again, interrupting that water supply. 'Welsh Water has stated that drilling into the aquifer would ultimately create a pathway for the risk of the water supply being contaminated, and that could lead to several factors, including risk and safeguarding their customers. 'It is a public health risk, and Welsh Water has stated that should the risk come to fruition, rectifying the issues created by drilling into the ground would be far from straightforward and extremely costly to resolve. It may not even be feasible to repair if we drill a physical pathway into the aquifer.' (Image: Trefor Owen Jones) He added: 'They consider this to be extremely high risk, and they would suggest we don't go ahead with this project.' Mr Jackson said every design possible had been considered. Last week, backbench councillors Chris Evans and James Elson argued about the inconvenience and extra cost to residents, raising the solution of a temporary bridge. The pair said not building a bridge drastically affected the lives of residents in Tremeirchion, Rhuallt, Bodfari, Cwm, as well as those in Trefnant, Denbigh, Henllan, and Ruthin, particularly with the rise in the cost of fuel. £1.5 million of Welsh Government funds has already been spent on the design work of the project. Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Alan James also raised the matter of building a temporary bridge. But Mr Jackson said a temporary bridge would still require the same foundations, so the risk would remain, arguing the proposal was unfeasible. 'Residents want a bridge' Leader Cllr Jason McLellan warned the cabinet: 'If we go ahead and start construction, knowing the risk to the damage to the aquifer, we essentially owe a duty of care to Welsh Water's customers that their water supply won't be affected, and quite clearly the advice is that it might be, so that chain of events would mean that we would be negligent and liable. 'We haven't got insurance, so we wouldn't be able to go through the insurance route. We would be liable, and it could potentially be millions. You think what the number of days without water looks like, without the ability to run a tap, boil the kettle, flush your toilet, have a shower. What does that look like for 85,000 homes after two days, three days, four days a week. Our liability would be off the scale.' Mr Jackson said the council would improve the road network, with £950,000 already secured from Welsh Government to upgrade 'alterative routes' and the diversion to make it 'more pleasurable for commuters'. But Cllr James Elson said the council had promised the residents a bridge. 'We must deliver on that promise,' he said. He added there must be a solution such as a single-track bridge or a temporary 'pre-fabricated' bridge set on benches without drilling. He said the cost of such a bridge would be less than the £1.5m Denbighshire had already spent, claiming he had been given a quote by a construction company two years ago. Mr Jackson reiterated a temporary bridge wasn't possible, explaining a bridge without foundations could present a danger to 'life and limb' during a flood. Cllr Chris Evans then echoed Cllr Elson's comments. 'There has been very little engagement from Denbighshire Council, which has had a detriment to this project,' he said. 'This again has had a massive impact on residents, feeling the bridge is not going to get built. It has been gone for four-odd years, and we have spent, or Welsh Government have spent, £1.5m to get to a set of drawings. I think that issue alone needs to be taken to the audit and governance committee.' Cllr Evans then claimed that a local building contractor had indicated to him a bridge was possible. 'We have not looked with conviction at the temporary bridge,' he said. 'I don't mean to be disrespectful, but Jones Brothers builds motorways. He is the person that does the job. He is the knowledgeable chap that has looked at that.' He added: 'The residents want a crossing.' Cllr Evans added residents and businesses were suffering and children couldn't get to school. He asked the cabinet to defer the decision so the matter could go to full council. But Cllr McLellan said that would put Denbighshire in the 'line of fire' for future litigation. Corporate director Tony Ward said officers couldn't win, having been criticised for spending £1.5m on designs, with it also being suggested they hadn't done enough. Cllr Gwyneth Ellis questioned whether a smaller bridge would need the same foundations, but Mr Jackson explained the foundations needed were due to the water pressure, not the weight on any bridge. The cabinet voted unanimously in favour of ceasing work on the project. Public notices in your area
North Wales Live
28-05-2025
- General
- North Wales Live
North Wales bridge swept away in storm won't be replaced over water supply fears
Plans to replace a bridge destroyed in a storm have been scrapped. Denbighshire County Council cabinet yesterday voted to abandon plans to replace Llanerch Bridge which was destroyed during Storm Christoph in 2021, when the River Clwyd burst its banks. Council officers warned that if they drilled into the riverbed, it could contaminate a water supply to 85,000 homes. That's because the old bridge, which connected Trefnant and Tremeirchion, was above a vital freshwater aquifer that Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water uses to supply drinking water to residents. Councillors heard how drilling into sandstone layers could create fissures, contaminating the lake. Paul Jacksons, the council's head of highways and environmental services. said: 'There's not been a design solution that has been found that completely removes the risk to that water asset. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. 'Therefore, the detailed design stage has concluded that it is not possible to construct a new bridge without the required foundations penetrating the weathered section of sandstone and putting a potential fissure in the aquifer, and again, interrupting that water supply. 'Welsh Water has stated that drilling into the aquifer would ultimately create a pathway for the risk of the water supply being contaminated, and that could lead to several factors, including risk and safeguarding their customers. 'It is a public health risk, and Welsh Water has stated that should the risk come to fruition, rectifying the issues created by drilling into the ground would be far from straightforward and extremely costly to resolve. It may not even be feasible to repair if we drill a physical pathway into the aquifer.' He added: 'They consider this to be extremely high risk, and they would suggest we don't go ahead with this project.' Mr Jackson said every design possible had been considered. Last week, backbench councillors Chris Evans and James Elson argued about the inconvenience and extra cost to residents, raising the solution of a temporary bridge. The pair said not building a bridge drastically affected the lives of residents in Tremeirchion, Rhuallt, Bodfari, Cwm, as well as those in Trefnant, Denbigh, Henllan, and Ruthin, particularly with the rise in the cost of fuel. £1.5 million of Welsh Government funds has already been spent on the design work of the project. Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Alan James also raised the matter of building a temporary bridge. But Mr Jackson said a temporary bridge would still require the same foundations, so the risk would remain, arguing the proposal was unfeasible. 'Residents want a bridge' Leader Cllr Jason McLellan warned the cabinet: 'If we go ahead and start construction, knowing the risk to the damage to the aquifer, we essentially owe a duty of care to Welsh Water's customers that their water supply won't be affected, and quite clearly the advice is that it might be, so that chain of events would mean that we would be negligent and liable. 'We haven't got insurance, so we wouldn't be able to go through the insurance route. We would be liable, and it could potentially be millions. You think what the number of days without water looks like, without the ability to run a tap, boil the kettle, flush your toilet, have a shower. What does that look like for 85,000 homes after two days, three days, four days a week. Our liability would be off the scale.' Mr Jackson said the council would improve the road network, with £950,000 already secured from Welsh Government to upgrade 'alterative routes' and the diversion to make it 'more pleasurable for commuters'. But Cllr James Elson said the council had promised the residents a bridge. 'We must deliver on that promise,' he said. He added there must be a solution such as a single-track bridge or a temporary 'pre-fabricated' bridge set on benches without drilling. He said the cost of such a bridge would be less than the £1.5m Denbighshire had already spent, claiming he had been given a quote by a construction company two years ago. Mr Jackson reiterated a temporary bridge wasn't possible, explaining a bridge without foundations could present a danger to 'life and limb' during a flood. Cllr Chris Evans then echoed Cllr Elson's comments. 'There has been very little engagement from Denbighshire Council, which has had a detriment to this project,' he said. 'This again has had a massive impact on residents, feeling the bridge is not going to get built. It has been gone for four-odd years, and we have spent, or Welsh Government have spent, £1.5m to get to a set of drawings. I think that issue alone needs to be taken to the audit and governance committee.' Cllr Evans then claimed that a local building contractor had indicated to him a bridge was possible. 'We have not looked with conviction at the temporary bridge,' he said. 'I don't mean to be disrespectful, but Jones Brothers builds motorways. He is the person that does the job. He is the knowledgeable chap that has looked at that.' He added: 'The residents want a crossing.' Cllr Evans added residents and businesses were suffering and children couldn't get to school. He asked the cabinet to defer the decision so the matter could go to full council. But Cllr McLellan said that would put Denbighshire in the 'line of fire' for future litigation. Corporate director Tony Ward said officers couldn't win, having been criticised for spending £1.5m on designs, with it also being suggested they hadn't done enough. Cllr Gwyneth Ellis questioned whether a smaller bridge would need the same foundations, but Mr Jackson explained the foundations needed were due to the water pressure, not the weight on any bridge. The cabinet voted unanimously in favour of ceasing work on the project.
Pembrokeshire Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Senedd hears that Welsh Water customers get ‘a raw deal'
WELSH WATER customers are getting a raw deal, with bills increasing while 'disgraceful' pollution continues and executives pocket 'scandalous' payments, the Senedd heard. Rhys ab Owen expressed concerns about Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water being issued a £1.3m fine for failing to monitor water quality at 300 different sites and committing 800 offences. 'This is on top of the sewage that was discharged last year, over 118,000 times,' he said. 'That is a sewage spill every five minutes – the highest… of any UK water company.' Mr ab Owen told the Senedd: 'Constituents find it very difficult to believe – it sticks in the back of the throat – that executives are paid eye-watering sums, that there are discussions for them to be paid even higher salaries. 'And this at the same time that Dŵr Cymru is increasing household bills by 27 per cent this year, an average of £86 per household. Costs for householders are increasing yet scrutiny seems to be decreasing due to lack of funding and investment by the Welsh Government.' Huw Irranca-Davies said Welsh Water will invest £6bn between 2025 and 2030, including £1.2bn to deliver environmental improvements and tackle nutrient pollution. The deputy first minister said: 'I've been consistently clear – both with the water companies and indeed the regulator, Ofwat – that customers in Wales expect to see real, tangible improvements.' He said Welsh Water acknowledged its failings following the court case – committing to reducing the ecological harm from storm overflows by 90 per cent, and 100 per cent by 2032. Mr Irranca-Davies, whose responsibilities include water, told Senedd members he will shortly be meeting Jane Hanson, who was appointed Welsh Water's chair in January. Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservatives' shadow climate secretary, said: 'I just can't believe that we're still discussing this. Whilst we're talking about it, there's probably dozens of pollution incidents taking place right now.' She described chief executive Peter Perry receiving total remuneration of £892,000 as scandalous, with a bonus of £91,000 paid in 2024. Addressing the deputy first minister during topical questions on May 21, she said: 'I do think you need to be far more robust in your meeting with the chair….'
Powys County Times
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Powys County Times
Natural Resources Wales declares prolonged dry weather
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has declared a 'prolonged dry weather' status across the country. This comes after an extended period of warm and dry weather, with the trigger thresholds being met on Thursday, May 22. The decision is based on hydrological and environmental factors, with concerns about the impact of high temperatures and lack of significant rainfall on rivers, groundwater levels, wildlife, and the wider natural environment. Prolonged dry weather is a natural event that has become more likely as climate change accelerates. It occurs when rainfall is lower than expected for a sustained period, resulting in low river, reservoir, and groundwater levels, as well as the drying up of land and soils. March was' exceptionally dry', being the driest since 1944, and although April saw some notable rainfall in parts of Wales, warm dry conditions returned in May. The three-month cumulative Wales rainfall for February to April was 59 per cent of that expected for this time of the year, making it one of the driest three-month periods on record. As a result, teams across NRW are reporting that the majority of river flows are currently low or exceptionally low. Groundwater monitoring also confirms levels receding earlier than would usually be expected in the year. There are concerns about the impact of the prolonged dry weather on the environment, with reports of dry riverbeds, algal blooms, and concerns for salmon smolt and fish migration in low flows. In recent weeks, wildfires have intensified in many areas of Wales, and NRW officers are providing ongoing support to fire and rescue services to tackle multiple grass and wildfire incidents on the land that it manages. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy are reporting that some water levels in reservoirs are below where they would usually be at this time of year. NRW fully supports their advice for people across the country to use water wisely and help to protect water supplies and the environment. Rhian Thomas, sustainable water and nature manager at NRW, said: "While there is some welcome rain forecast for the weekend and into next week, it will take time and more significant rainfall for river and reservoir levels to recover from this prolonged hot and dry spell. "Such a dry start to the year is causing considerable concern for the health of our ecosystems and habitats, as well as for land management and the agricultural sector. "As such, we have taken the decision to move the whole of Wales into prolonged dry weather status. "For us, this means stepping up our actions and monitoring across Wales to help mitigate the impacts on the environment, land, water users and people, and responding to environmental incidents." NRW's decision to declare prolonged dry weather status was shared with the Wales Drought Liaison Group on May 22. The group is chaired by the Welsh Government and made up of senior decision-makers from NRW, the Met Office, water companies, Public Health Wales, farming unions and local authority representatives. NRW is engaging closely with the Environment Agency in respect to the cross border catchments. When enjoying the outdoors, people are asked to be mindful that wildlife and ecosystems are under more stress. Members of the public should report any environment incidents to the 24/7 hotline on 0300 065 3000. Some areas may also be at a higher risk of fires. If you see a wildfire, get to a safe place, call 999 and ask for the fire service. For advice about dry weather and agricultural practices, people can visit the Natural Resources Wales website. Waterwise's website provides details on how to use water wisely.
Powys County Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Welsh Water fined £1.35 million for sewage including Powys
A Welsh water company has been fined £1.35 million after it admitted more than 800 breaches of environmental permits to discharge sewage across the country - including locations in Mid Wales. 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: 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.
