Latest news with #NRW
South Wales Argus
4 hours ago
- General
- South Wales Argus
New award for Wales to bring forest education to youngsters
The Welsh edition of the award was launched by the Royal Forestry Society, with support from Natural Resources Wales, at the Royal Welsh Show. It will help inspire youngsters to learn about their local trees and woodlands. Since its launch in 2019, 100,000 children and young people have participated in the RFS Junior Forester Award across England and Scotland. The Welsh award means those in Wales can now take part in activities and resources which meet the specific needs of the Curriculum for Wales. The six-session programme, available in Welsh and English, is designed to suit all ages from four to 14 and aims to give children the skills and knowledge to care for the trees in their school grounds and in the wider community. The Welsh edition includes an explanation of how each section relates to the Curriculum for Wales, links to NRW resources, ideas for places to visit and Welsh projects to get involved in. Becky Wilkinson, author of the JFA, said: 'Over the past six years, it has been wonderful to see how much children have benefitted from the Junior Forester Award and enjoyed taking responsibility for the trees in their community.' Lyndsey Rawlinson, NRW's head of land stewardship, said: 'As managers of the Welsh Government Woodland Estate covering 126,000 hectares we welcome this award which helps children and young people gain an insight into forestry. 'Trees play an essential role in delivering our well-being objectives to help nature and people thrive and children are key to helping deliver this for future generations.' The award can be used by schools, community organisations or families who want to get their kids or pupils engaged in their natural surroundings. All that is needed is access to a small number of trees, a free downloadable Junior Forester Award handbook for the leader and a booklet for each child. Downloadable certificates are provided for free by the RFS and optional badges are available for purchase on the RFS online shop.
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water ordered to make 'urgent' changes
The call comes from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which reported 155 pollution incidents linked to the company in 2024. Of these, 132 were from sewerage assets and 23 related to water supply. Nadia De Longhi, head of regulation and permitting at NRW, said: "We've seen a huge deterioration in the performance of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water since 2020, and despite repeated warnings and interventions they've been unable to reverse this concerning trend. "This has left us with no choice but to pursue a number of prosecutions against the company which have recently concluded." Sewage-related incidents have risen steadily, up from 89 in 2022 and 107 in 2023, marking a 42 per cent increase over the past decade. Of the total, six were classified as serious, though this was down from seven last year. NRW says most incidents originated from foul sewers (423), storm overflows (168), and water treatment works (166) over the past 10 years. The regulator has taken several actions, including securing prosecutions related to pollution on the Gwent Levels and a tributary of the Afon Llwyd. NRW has also pushed for record environmental investment between 2025 and 2030 through the Ofwat price review and issued new guidance on when storm overflows are breaching environmental permits. In 2025, NRW will introduce a team to increase monitoring of water company discharges and begin implementing Pollution Incident Reduction Plans under new legislation. The regulator will also tighten annual performance assessment criteria, in collaboration with the Environment Agency, starting January 1, 2026. Ms De Longhi said: "This is not the outcome we want, nor the best outcome for the environment – our priority will always be to bring companies into compliance and prevent environmental damage from happening in the first place. "We continue to do everything we can to drive improvements, but Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water must address the root cause of these pollution incidents and take preventative measures before more harm is done to the water environment." Hafren Dyfrdwy, which provides drinking water and wastewater services to some of the mid and north Wales border counties, was responsible for five pollution incidents – two of which were from sewerage assets. This also represents an increase from one sewage pollution incident in 2023 and four in total. Neither company met NRW's 80 per cent target for self-reporting incidents, though Dŵr Cymru improved from 70 per cent in 2023 to 74 per cent in 2024.
Leader Live
a day ago
- General
- Leader Live
Sea lamprey return to River Dee after Erbistock weir removal
Fisheries experts discovered 25 sea lamprey nests upstream of the former Erbistock weir on the River Dee. The finding comes one year after the EU-funded LIFE Dee River project, led by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), removed the weir last summer. Joel Rees-Jones, project manager for the LIFE Dee River scheme, said: "Seeing these redds above the Erbistock weir removal site is genuinely exciting. "It clearly shows that by reconnecting habitats and removing barriers like Erbistock weir, we're giving iconic species such as lamprey and Atlantic salmon a fighting chance to thrive and build healthy populations. "This is a huge win for biodiversity on the Dee, and demonstrates that ambitious river restoration like this can deliver immediate, measurable benefits for wildlife and improve the health of these vital ecosystems." Lamprey, a protected and ancient species, had been unable to pass the three-metre-high, 70-metre-wide Erbistock weir to reach upstream spawning areas. Salmon also faced delays and obstacles at the site, threatening their survival. The removal of the weir, which had blocked fish passage for nearly 200 years, has now opened up 4km of critical habitat and restored free movement for all fish species. Earlier this month, the project team captured drone footage of a lamprey nest just 40 metres downstream of Manley Hall gauging weir. However, the concentration of nests below this remaining barrier highlights that it too is restricting further upstream migration. READ MORE: Hundreds of volunteers praised as 'heart and soul' of Llangollen Eisteddfod The Ship Hotel named finalist as the Leader searches for 'Best Pub 2025' Mr Rees-Jones said: "While we're thrilled by what we've achieved so far, our surveys confirm that Manley Hall is the next major hurdle. "That's why we're already planning targeted works here for next year, aiming to improve passage and ensure the benefits of a free-flowing Dee are fully realised." The Erbistock weir removal, completed in 2024, is part of broader efforts by the LIFE Dee River project to restore the River Dee and Llyn Tegid Special Area of Conservation. More information about the project is available on its official webpage.
Rhyl Journal
a day ago
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water ordered to make 'urgent' changes
The call comes from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which reported 155 pollution incidents linked to the company in 2024. Of these, 132 were from sewerage assets and 23 related to water supply. Nadia De Longhi, head of regulation and permitting at NRW, said: "We've seen a huge deterioration in the performance of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water since 2020, and despite repeated warnings and interventions they've been unable to reverse this concerning trend. "This has left us with no choice but to pursue a number of prosecutions against the company which have recently concluded." Sewage-related incidents have risen steadily, up from 89 in 2022 and 107 in 2023, marking a 42 per cent increase over the past decade. Of the total, six were classified as serious, though this was down from seven last year. NRW says most incidents originated from foul sewers (423), storm overflows (168), and water treatment works (166) over the past 10 years. The regulator has taken several actions, including securing prosecutions related to pollution on the Gwent Levels and a tributary of the Afon Llwyd. NRW has also pushed for record environmental investment between 2025 and 2030 through the Ofwat price review and issued new guidance on when storm overflows are breaching environmental permits. In 2025, NRW will introduce a team to increase monitoring of water company discharges and begin implementing Pollution Incident Reduction Plans under new legislation. The regulator will also tighten annual performance assessment criteria, in collaboration with the Environment Agency, starting January 1, 2026. Ms De Longhi said: "This is not the outcome we want, nor the best outcome for the environment – our priority will always be to bring companies into compliance and prevent environmental damage from happening in the first place. "We continue to do everything we can to drive improvements, but Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water must address the root cause of these pollution incidents and take preventative measures before more harm is done to the water environment." Hafren Dyfrdwy, which provides drinking water and wastewater services to some of the mid and north Wales border counties, was responsible for five pollution incidents – two of which were from sewerage assets. This also represents an increase from one sewage pollution incident in 2023 and four in total. Neither company met NRW's 80 per cent target for self-reporting incidents, though Dŵr Cymru improved from 70 per cent in 2023 to 74 per cent in 2024.
ITV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ITV News
Overhaul of water regulation in Wales needed, landmark review says
The system for regulating water companies should be overhauled and Natural Resources Wales should be given more responsibilities, according to a landmark review of the sector. A wide-ranging review into the water industry has said NRW should absorb some of the responsibilities currently held by the Water Services Regulation Authority, or Ofwat, which regulates the water sector in Wales and England. Ofwat is a non-ministerial government department, which was established in 1989 when the water and sewerage industry in Wales and England was privatised, while NRW is the largest Welsh Government-sponsored body, focused on tackling the climate, nature and pollution emergencies. The final report from the Independent Water Commission, chaired by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe, makes 88 recommendations aimed at improving the sector, urging both the Welsh and UK governments to act on growing concern over pollution, water quality and long-term investment. UK Government water minister Emma Hardy told broadcasters on Monday that the system is 'broken', but did not commit to how many of the 88 suggestions would be accepted by Whitehall. The report, published on Monday, 21 July, recommended far-reaching changes to the way the water system is regulated as it called the current landscape 'fragmented and overlapping'. For Wales, one of the key proposals includes abolishing Ofwat's role, with the regulator currently overseeing how much companies can charge for water and wastewater services, and transferring those powers to NRW. The review also recommends abolishing the Drinking Water Inspectorate, which monitors the safety of drinking water supplies. The Welsh Government backed the commission's findings, saying in a statement: "We welcome the publication of the report. This is a once in a generation opportunity to reset how Wales manages water. 'Many of the recommendations will need careful consideration and engagement to make sure we take action that is right for the people of Wales and aligns with the Well-being of Future Generations Act.' For England, the report advises removing the regulatory roles of the Environment Agency and Natural England, which monitor the sector's impact on nature, like companies illegally dumping sewage into waterways. Instead, a 'joined-up' and 'powerful' single integrated water regulator in England should be established, according to the recommendations. Ms Hardy told BBC Breakfast that UK ministers would be taking 'a proper look' at the paper 'all the way through the summer'. Asked if all the recommendations would be made law, she told the programme: 'What we'll do is we'll have a proper look at it all the way through the summer and the intention is that we're going to introduce a White Paper to spell out exactly what we're going to do on water reform.' Ms Hardy said that the UK Government would 'introduce a Water Bill next year, which will change the law', but added: 'Exactly how many out of the 88 we're going to do or not going to do, then we'll work that out in the next few months.' The current system has faced intense criticism for overseeing water companies during the years they paid out shareholders and accrued large debts while ageing infrastructure crumbled and sewage spills skyrocketed. Author Sir Jon said the review has 'tried to attack the problem from all sides' but warned that bills are going to rise by 30% over the next five years. 'There are some inescapable facts here,' he said. 'The cost of producing water and dealing with our wastewater is going up.' Sir Jon later told Times Radio that regulators have failed to work together to make the sector deliver and blamed the Government for not giving clear direction. 'It's the failure of the government to balance out all the different pressures on water,' he said, adding that firms 'need to perform better' and 'be funded to invest'. The UK Government also supported the report, with Ms Hardy saying consumers have been 'failed time and time again'. Speaking on Times Radio, she said 'root-and-branch reform' is needed to fix the crisis and told listeners the government is considering a piece of primary legislation to deliver many of the proposed changes. Ms Hardy also described trust in the water industry as at 'the lowest ever level' and criticised executives for handing out pay rises and bonuses. 'Everyone knows the system is broken,' she said. 'And they give themselves huge pay rises.' However, the minister also ruled out supporting government intervention to cap pay in the private sector. Ms Hardy said: 'I don't think as government we should say what private companies should pay. But I will say – read the room. Look how angry and furious people are."
