Latest news with #NRW
Pembrokeshire Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
DAVIES: 'Failed Welsh water regulator must be closed and replaced'
Prominent Conservative MS renews call for NRW overhaul after critical review ANDREW RT DAVIES, a prominent Conservative Member of the Senedd (MS) for South Wales Central, has reiterated his demand for the closure and replacement of Natural Resources Wales (NRW). His comments follow the publication of a critical independent review into the water sector. The Independent Commission on the Regulation of Water and Sewerage Services in Wales, chaired by Sir John Cunliffe, highlighted significant concerns regarding regulatory oversight and environmental standards. Sir John emphasized that regulators must ensure private water companies operate in the public interest. Mr. Davies stated: 'This damning review proves what I've long said, that Natural Resources Wales is not fit for purpose. Five of the twenty most polluted rivers in Britain are located in Wales, a result of Welsh Government's bloated environmental regulator being unable to cope with both its regulatory and commercial functions. NRW is far too big, and Labour Senedd ministers must intervene to ensure it's closed and replaced.' NRW, established in 2013 through the merger of Environment Agency Wales, Countryside Council for Wales, and Forestry Commission Wales, is tasked with environmental protection, forestry management, flood defense, and aspects of the water industry. Critics argue that NRW faces a conflict of interest due to its dual role in regulation and service provision. Environmental groups, including River Action UK and Surfers Against Sewage, have also called for stronger regulatory measures, citing over 100,000 sewage spills into Welsh rivers and coastal areas in 2023. In response to the commission's findings, a Welsh Government spokesperson stated: 'We welcome the commission's report and will consider its recommendations carefully. Our priority is ensuring robust environmental protections and high standards of accountability for water companies in Wales.' NRW has acknowledged challenges, including limited funding and increasing pressures from climate change and agricultural pollution, but maintains its commitment to improving river quality and enforcement. Plaid Cymru has also expressed concerns about the current regulatory framework but has stopped short of endorsing Mr. Davies's call for NRW's closure. The party advocates for fundamental reform and greater transparency in managing Wales's environmental services. The Welsh Government is expected to issue a formal response to the commission's recommendations later this summer.
Daily Express
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Express
Build water pump station at UMS: Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri
Published on: Wednesday, June 04, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 04, 2025 By: Nikko Fabian Text Size: Terrence and Nicholas. Kota Kinabalu: Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (PKAN) deputy president Terrence Tsen said the ongoing water crisis at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), is an 'embarrassment' to the state government, particularly the relevant Ministry. He said water supply falls under the purview of the Sabah Water Department, an agency within the Sabah Ministry of Works. He lamented the government's reliance on temporary measures such as water tankers and the construction of water tanks, calling them insufficient to address the chronic problem and proposed the construction of a dedicated water pump station at UMS to ensure a consistent and adequate water supply. Terrence pointed to the high rate of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) in Sabah – currently at 56 per cent – as a likely contributing factor to the UMS water shortage. He suggested that illegal water connections by squatters in areas surrounding the university are significantly impacting water pressure. Terrence questioned the Sabah Water Department's actions to address these illegal connections and urged immediate investigations and enforcement. He also emphasised the link between the pervasive water problems and the large number of undocumented settlements on the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu, stating that the inaction of the Department in addressing illegal water tapping in these areas is highly suspicious. 'The significant financial losses incurred by the state government due to NRW were also highlighted, emphasising the urgency of the situation.' Meanwhile, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) called for full transparency from all parties involved. Its Publicity Chief Nicholas Ban said the prolonged disruption has severely affected the lives of students and staff, and questioned the lack of proactive measures by the university management. 'While we acknowledge the intervention of Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg in bringing attention to the matter, we must also ask why UMS has not taken immediate steps to lessen the impact of the crisis,' he said in a statement. Among the questions raised by Nicholas were whether there had been a delay in alerting the relevant authorities, if contingency measures such as deploying water tankers were activated, and whether proper monitoring systems were in place for early detection of supply issues. He also urged the to clarify its protocols, including whether they were informed in time and if standard procedures – such as tanker deployment and minimum storage level maintenance – were followed. 'This crisis has caused unnecessary hardship, with students forced to buy water just for basic hygiene. It is unacceptable that a national higher education institution is left so vulnerable,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Health
- Leader Live
Wrexham residents issue plea to address Hafod landfill site
"The current environmental permit allows for operations until 2062. That is 37 more years of emissions, odour, monitoring failures, and broken promises. For a community that has already endured 18 years, this is not just a timeline; it is a sentence. "It means our children will grow up in its shadow, and their children may too. Every year that passes without action compounds the harm. The psychological toll, the reputational damage (Stinky Johnstown), the devaluation of property, and the disintegration of community cohesion will not repair themselves. The permit must be revoked before more irreversible damage is done. "The time for patience has passed. Our community needs clarity, honesty, and decisive action. We have endured this reality for 19 years. We cannot survive another 37. Please, help us bring this nightmare to an end, once and for all." An overview of Hafod landfill site (Image: Google Maps) Enovert stated that the Hafod site has planning consent for the acceptance of waste until April 7 2055. A spokesperson said: "Enovert continues to provide accurate and verifiable data regarding the environmental performance of the Hafod site to the regulator Natural Resources Wales (NRW). This includes reporting of the data required by the site's environmental permit and will now also include results and independent review of air quality monitoring as recently implemented. "Enovert has written to the Senedd Petitions Committee to offer its attendance before the committee to answer questions about our operations and to provide the latest detail of ongoing actions at Hafod considering the public interest. We can also provide visibility of Enovert's responses to Compliance Assessment Reports, (CAR Forms) raised by NRW when they inspect the site, the detail of which is not available on the public register and should be considered in assessing permit compliance and our approach as Operator to ensuring protection of the environment and community health." James McClymont, Team Leader of Industry & Waste Regulation for Natural Resources Wales, said: 'We continue to monitor progress at Hafod Landfill closely, including carrying out unannounced inspections. Thanks to improvement work by the site operator, there has been a steady drop in odour complaints, though we recognise that some people are still being affected. 'In recent months, we've updated both the Deputy First Minister and Wrexham County Borough Council on our regulatory work. We've also taken part in the first Hafod Landfill Stakeholder Group meeting and attended the latest Homes and Environment Scrutiny Committee. MOST READ: Planning application submitted for huge new housing development in Wrexham Jealous thug headbutted ex after 'asking about her sex life with new man' Wrexham man to hike mountain range - carrying fridge freezer! 'We remain committed to holding the site operator to account and ensuring action is taken where needed. Further improvements are planned, including enhanced gas extraction and leachate management. 'Preliminary air quality data from monitoring units set up by Wrexham Council and the site operator is being reviewed. Early findings show that recognised odour annoyance thresholds have been exceeded at times, but more work is needed to understand the causes. 'We will continue to work with partners to ensure the operator takes the necessary steps to reduce odours and protect local people and the environment.' Wrexham Council were approached for a comment.
West Australian
4 days ago
- General
- West Australian
Bridging now to next
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) commenced on May 27. It is an important time to learn more about our shared history, culture and achievements, as well as consider how we can all contribute to reconciliation in Australia. The theme for this year's NRW is 'Bridging Now to Next', which reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future, and calls on all Australians to step forward together. This is a timely theme and an opportunity to outwardly pay our respects to the incredible knowledge and experience which Aboriginal Elders, traditional owners and community members have in connection with their land. This deep connection to the land is directly relevant to the work the urban development industry does in the creation of new communities and enhancement of existing ones across the state. Meaningful community engagement is an integral part of forming successful places and spaces for people to live, work and play to ensure they are vibrant, inclusive and respectful. Creating a strong connection to place through listening, learning and engaging with Elders, traditional custodians and local community members is an important aspect of understanding and ensuring connection to the land is represented, understood and integrated into communities. This week, UDIA WA has been participating in opportunities to learn more about Aboriginal people's lived experience and the role we can all play in reconciliation, including attending Reconciliation WA's breakfast event in Fremantle on the morning of May 27, along with more than 1000 guests. UDIA WA also hosted its own event in partnership with DevelopmentWA on May 28, where we learnt more about authentic Aboriginal engagement practices and had the opportunity to participate on a study tour to the Subi East redevelopment site. Here, we followed the Six Season Bidi Trail, which features seasonal landscaping and artwork representing the six seasons of Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang. We also visited Yagan Square and explored how this development has created storytelling opportunities for Whadjuk Noongar female artists. On Tuesday June 3 – the final day of NRW – the UDIA WA team will participate in the Walk for Reconciliation at Galup (Lake Monger), where we will walk in solidarity with local Whadjuk Noongar people and community members. Galup, which translates to 'place of fire', holds significance for the Whadjuk Noongar people as a place where many families used to camp and nurture their communities in the area prior to colonisation. UDIA WA's commitment to reconciliation has been formalised in our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which was endorsed last year and outlines how our organisation is taking meaningful action to advance reconciliation based around the core pillars of relationships, respect and opportunities. You can read more about our RAP in the About section on the UDIA WA website.
Powys County Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Plans for extension to Greenhouse café near Montgomery
A café that is run alongside a horticultural business near Montgomery could continue to grow after plans for a kitchen extension were given the thumbs up by Powys planners. Earlier this year, Marcus King of King's Nurseries at Garthmyl lodged a planning application with Powys County Council to extend the kitchen at the Greenhouse café onto the car park. The café was opened in 2022, has an area of 271 square metres, and the extension would provide a further 40 square metres to the building. Planning agent Frederick Carter explained the café, which was originally constructed for visitors to the nursery in 2022, has become successful in its own right. Mr Carter said: 'The growth of the business and its ethos to provide locally sourced quality ingredients has led to more in-house production of food, including baked goods. It is for this reason the café requires an extension to meet the demands of this growing enterprise.' The proposals would be built on an existing area designated for parking north of the café. Part of the original concern with the café plans going back to the original application in 2020 is that the site is in a flood zone near Llifior Brook. Mr Carter said: 'As the café extension will be sited in an area with potential to flood it will be raised up to protect the structure, with attenuation storage held for use by the nursery for plant watering more than accommodating the volume of water displaced by the development.' Mr Carter added: 'The business has grown substantially and this additional growth will support the existing business allowing for increased development and diversity for the site with the potential to grow the local economy by providing additional employment for the area.' Berriew Community Council discussed the proposal at a meeting in April and supported it. Planning officer Natalie Hinds said: 'A Flood Consequence Assessment (FCA) has been submitted and reviewed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). 'The design and access statement confirms that the structure will be raised, in line with NRW's assumption that the finished floor levels will match those of the existing café. 'As such, no objection has been made, and the development is considered to be acceptable.' 'It considered that the proposed development does fundamentally comply with relevant planning policy. 'The recommendation is one of conditional consent.'
