Welsh government agrees action on storm overflows

Welsh climate change minister, Julie James, has confirmed a series of initiatives designed to improve the management and regulation of storm overflows in the country.

Overflows have been identified as a contributor to the threat to river quality with nearly 4% of waterbodies across Wales failing to reach good status.

The Welsh measures involve improved screening, significantly better monitoring of discharge quality from overflows, clearer guidance and assessment by the green watchdog, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), of poorly performing assets and the development of a 25-year strategic planning process for sewerage catchments.

The government, NRW, the two water companies serving Wales, Dŵr Cymru and Hafren Dyfrdwy, and Ofwat have established a body – the Better River Quality Taskforce – to tackle the issues.

James pointed out that making sustainable drainage systems mandatory on almost all new building developments was relieving pressure on the network by redirecting and slowing down the speed at which surface water enters the sewer system.

Working with regulators and the government, water companies will be expected to identify and prioritise action at those assets that are deemed to require urgent and immediate attention, re-prioritising expenditure already agreed for their AMP7 business plans.

Meanwhile, in a separate but related move, NRW has urged the two water companies to act after its annual environmental performance reports highlighted a small increase in pollution incidents and a decrease in compliance with environmental permits for sewage discharges.