Latest news with #HafrenDyfrdwy
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sunken bridge reappears during record dry spell
An old stone bridge which was submerged during construction of a reservoir a century ago has made a rare appearance following a record dry spell. The bridge, thought to date from around 1800, has laid beneath the water of Merthyr Tydfil's Llwyn-On reservoir since 1911, according to Coflein, the National Monuments Record of Wales. However, the two-arched structure has re-emerged during other dry periods, including in July 2022 and April 1976. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said March was the driest since 1944 and, as further warm, dry conditions returned in May, Wales received only 59% of its expected rainfall, making it one of the driest three month periods on record. NRW has said the majority of Wales' river flows were currently low or exceptionally low, while Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy have reported lower levels in some reservoirs than would be expected at this time of year. Wales Drought Liaison Group, including NRW, water firms, the Welsh government, Met Office, Public Health Wales, farming unions and local authorities, has stepped up monitoring across the nation amid consumer advice to not waste water. Water warning as prolonged dry weather hits rivers Don't waste water during hot weather, people urged
Pembrokeshire Herald
22-04-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Dŵr Cymru loses 251 million litres each day due to leaks
Welsh Lib Dems slam water firms as millions of litres leaked daily WELSH Liberal Democrats have criticised Dŵr Cymru and Hafren Dyfrdwy after new figures revealed widespread water wastage due to leaking infrastructure, with Dŵr Cymru alone losing an average of 251 million litres every day. Research from the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, shows that between 2020/21 and 2022/23, an average of 3 billion litres of water were lost daily across England and Wales — the equivalent of 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Dŵr Cymru was the worst offender, leaking 171 litres per property per day — the highest in England and Wales. Hafren Dyfrdwy, which supplies Montgomeryshire, Wrexham, and parts of Radnorshire, ranked second worst, leaking 154 litres per property per day, or 16.4 million litres in total. The Liberal Democrats estimate the annual cost of water leakage to customers at around £396 million. Despite Dŵr Cymru's not-for-profit model, the party has long raised concerns over executive pay, environmental failings, and high household bills. Water bills in Wales remain the highest in the UK, despite some of the lowest household incomes. Hafren Dyfrdwy bills are set to rise by 32% in 2025, with average charges increasing from £447 to £590. Apology and acknowledgement of misreporting In March 2024, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water issued a public apology after it was found to have misreported leakage and per capita consumption figures over a number of years. An Ofwat investigation concluded that the company significantly understated the extent of its water losses, prompting accusations of misleading customers and regulators. The company admitted to failures in governance and management oversight and agreed to a redress package worth £39.4 million, including a £10 rebate for every customer. Chief Executive Pete Perry said: 'We are very sorry that this happened. We proactively brought this issue to Ofwat's attention… Our review identified governance and management oversight failures that led to the issues identified which have now been addressed. Achieving the planned reduction in leakage will be challenging, but we have committed a substantial increase in expenditure in this area and strengthened the relevant operational teams to recover performance.' Welsh Water also pledged to invest an additional £59 million during the current 2020–25 price review period to tackle leakage and reduce consumption. Ofwat Chief Executive David Black condemned the misreporting: 'For five years, Welsh Water misled customers and regulators on its record of tackling leakage and saving water. It is simply indefensible, and that is why we are making Welsh Water pay this £40 million to benefit its customers.' The findings sparked renewed criticism from campaigners and politicians alike, who say the apology and investment commitments are long overdue and insufficient given the environmental damage and costs to consumers. Political pressure mounting Welsh Liberal Democrats are now calling for the abolition of Ofwat, arguing that the regulator has failed to hold water companies properly to account. They propose the creation of a new, more powerful watchdog. Their demands include: A single social water tariff to protect vulnerable customers A ban on executive bonuses at failing water companies Stronger environmental oversight from the Welsh Government, particularly regarding Dŵr Cymru David Chadwick, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, said: 'It's scandalous that Dŵr Cymru is wasting millions of litres of water every year, while customers are saddled with sky-high bills. The government cannot sit idly by as water companies exploit the system. 'Ofwat must be replaced with a regulator that will hold these polluters to account. The Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for customers who have been taken for granted for far too long.' Glyn Preston, Senedd candidate for Gwynedd Maldwyn and Llanidloes County Councillor, added: 'Communities across Gwynedd and Montgomeryshire are being failed by a system that rewards mismanagement and punishes ordinary people. 'When companies like Hafren Dyfrdwy waste millions of litres daily, it's not only an environmental catastrophe but a betrayal of public trust. 'We need urgent reform to fix our broken water system, protect the environment, and ensure no one is forced to pay through the nose for such poor service.' Despite recent commitments, campaigners argue that water companies in Wales continue to fall short on both environmental and consumer expectations. Critics say tougher regulation and greater transparency are essential to restore public confidence. A Welsh Water spokesperson said: 'Our performance on leakage when measured per property isn't a true reflection of the overall situation, due to the sparse population we serve in rural areas and the length of our pipe network. 'Welsh Water is close to the industry average when measured on leakage per kilometre of pipe and this remains a more relevant comparison. 'However, leakage performance is not where we want it to be and we have invested an additional £54m over the past two years above what was planned to identify and reduce leakage as quickly as possible to improve our performance further. 'This has meant that we have made significant improvements in performance, and we expect this to be evident in our figures for 2024/25 that will be released in a few weeks' time. 'Our aim is to continue this improvement over the next five years where we will reduce leakage by a further 25% with considerable investment planned in pipe replacement and leakage repairs.'
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Welsh Water writes to thousands of customers telling them their bills are going up
Welsh Water customers are getting bills through their doors telling them how much their bills are going up by. Household water bills in Wales are set to increase by 42% over five years. From April, people in Wales are set to see their water bills go up on average from £503 to £639, which is around a 27% increase. Some residents are seeing bills rising by as much as 33% - one bill payer in Cardiff has seen monthly payments go up from £85.30 to £113.83. Another customer in Swansea said: "I've had a letter that says my direct debit payments will rise this year to £67.50 a month. Last year we were paying £44.50. That's a staggering rise and by calculations more like 34%. How is that justified?" READ MORE: Pervert filmed himself raping and abusing dogs in 'most horrific' case judge has witnessed READ MORE: If you always have blackbirds and robins in your garden it might be a sign something's wrong The increase has been described as "significant" and "higher than expected" by one financial expert. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter. The nation's largest water company, Welsh Water Dwr Cymru, will be allowed to increase its bills from an average of £455 this year to £645 in five years time. Water companies across England and Wales have said that the increases will lead to more investment to deal with problems like leaks and sewage overflows. Hafren Dyfrdwy, which serves about 87,000 customers along the Wales-England border is increasing bills by 32% from April. The letters that are going out to all customers are accompanied by a letter explaining why the bills are increasing this year and over the next four years. Chief executive Peter Perry says in the letter: "Over the last 15 year, bills have not risen in line with inflation. "To ensure we continue to provide sustainable services and deal with risks such as those created by climate change, we need to increase investment in our water and wastewater infrastructure." He also explained why the bills are amongst the highest in the sector, saying that it was "primarily due to the wastewater infrastructure" they had to build in coastal areas following privatisation. Mr Perry said: "Up until the last 1990s, nearly 50% of sewage in Wales was discharged virtually untreated into the sea. Since then, our investment has contributed to more Blue Flag beaches in Wales than ever before. But as there is more to do, for us to improve service delivery, adapt our networks to the impacts of climate change, and to protect our rivers and seas, we now need to increase the level of investment."
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Welsh Water bills to rise annually for five years
People in most parts of Wales are facing a 27% increase in their water bills from April, with the average annual bill going up from £503 to £639. It marks the start of a five-year period of bill increases from Welsh Water, totalling 42% by 2029-30 - but the biggest rise will happen at the beginning. A consumer group said there was "an urgent need to bring in a new system of providing help for people who will find it increasingly difficult to pay their bills". Welsh Water said from April clean water would cost "an average of £1.75 a day" and the overall increases would fund a "68% increase in investment" over the next five years. Why are water bills rising and what can I do? Water bills to rise by £86 on average next year Water companies across Wales and England are increasing bills, which they say will lead to more investment to deal with problems like leaks and sewage overflows. Hafren Dyfrdwy, which serves about 87,000 customers along the Wales-England border is increasing bills by 32% from April taking the average bill from £447 to £590. But the company said customers "have the lowest bills in Wales and one of the lowest in the UK" and help is available for those struggling to pay. Each company runs its own system of cheaper rates or capped bills, called social tariffs, for eligible customers. Welsh Water said it currently supports 150,000 customers with reduced bills and was increasing its financial support packages from £63m to £73m over the next five years. But Rhodri Williams, deputy chair of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), called for an end to the "postcode lottery" of support for struggling families. The CCW has proposed a single system of support for customers across Wales and England. Mr Williams said that, under the proposed scheme "there would be more money to spend on assistance for customers in Wales" because rates of poverty were higher than in England. Mum-of-two Bianca Lepore from Cardiff gets her water charge capped by Welsh Water, saving her about £280. She gets a cheaper bill under the WaterSure scheme because one of her children is disabled. The NHS worker said the saving "means that I can do more of the meaningful things in life with my children". She said anyone who is struggling with bills should "reach out to Welsh Water." "Until you ask, you don't get," she added. Dwr Cyrmu Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy, offer a variety of schemes for some struggling customers. WaterSure caps costs for families who have a water meter, or if they are receiving certain benefits and either have three or more dependent children at home or have someone in the family with a medical condition that increases water use HelpU tariff caps bills for households receiving certain benefits and with an income below £18,800 for a family of three or more, or below £17,400 for a family of two. The single person income threshold is £11,600 If you are already in debt with your water bill, you may be able get financial contributions towards paying it off if you can follow a pre-agreed payment plan Consider getting a water meter if you are in a small household - CCW provides a calculator to see if it might save you money. If you are already on a water meter think about how you can use less water, and fix any leaks around the house Get free water saving devices from Welsh Water to use on taps and shower heads and in toilet cisterns to reduce water usage. Despite the increases, water bills for each household will vary, depending on factors like the size of the house, whether there is a water meter, and how much water is used. But Mr Williams said the cost of bills had already impacted many people's budgets. A survey by CCW found that a quarter of households with a water meter were cutting back on what was considered "essential" water use. He added that if customers were paying more, water companies "are going to have to improve their performance" in relation to "environmental pollution and leaks being fixed quicker". Sam James of Welsh Water said it had not taken the decision to increase bills "lightly" but "if people are worried, we can provide help and we encourage people to get in touch with us". Welsh Water plans to spend £2.5b on projects to improve the environment over the next five years. She said it would make the not-for-profit company's infrastructure "more resilient" to climate change and would deliver a "really ambitious environmental programme", protecting rivers and seas. The latest price increase, Welsh Water said, compares to an industry average hike of 26% and comes after price rises over the last 15 years that were below the rate of inflation. Water bills up £120 by 2030 to tackle pollution Warning millions will struggle to pay water bill rises Record numbers seek help with water bills
