AMs have urged the Welsh government to take action against water companies after a surge in incidences of untreated sewage being discharged into Welsh rivers.
The call came from the Welsh parliament’s climate change committee which published a report highlighting that in 2016, there were just under 15,000 such discharges involving so-called stormwater overflows but by 2020, the figure had soared to105,000.
The report noted that the true figure was likely to be higher because not all incidents were monitored or licensed.
The committee wants fewer discharges, increased monitoring and will grill Julie James, the climate change minister, in six-month time when it will expect a significant improvement.
The two water companies operating in Wales, Dŵr Cymru and Hafren Dyfrdwy should be required to report on discharges from storm overflows “within an hour of the discharge beginning”, a requirement placed on water companies in England. The committee’s report said, “if they cannot match this standard, both companies should explain why.”
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