Welsh Government says South West Wales bathing waters rated ‘excellent’ – but sewage and pollution issues cast shadow

The 2025 results, published this week, show that 98% of bathing waters across Wales met strict environmental standards following monitoring by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Officials say the findings demonstrate the resilience of Wales’s beaches and the success of ongoing efforts to protect water quality.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca‑Davies said the results reflected “our commitment to protecting water quality” and praised communities and partners for working together towards a cleaner Wales.

Mary Lewis, Head of Natural Resource Management at NRW, added:

“Our wonderful beaches and bathing waters are an important part of Wales’s identity and culture… The results reflect the dedication of our teams, partners, environmental groups and communities who protect and care for our environment.”

Local results at a glance

Sewage spills and enforcement fines temper the good news

While the classifications are positive, they come against a backdrop of ongoing public concern about water quality.

Residents in Gower have repeatedly voiced frustration over sewage spills affecting popular beaches, saying they feel “pooped off” by the frequency of incidents. Campaigners argue that these spills undermine public confidence in official bathing water ratings.

💧 What do bathing water ratings mean?

Excellent
The highest standard. Water quality is consistently very good, giving strong reassurance for swimmers and visitors.

Good
Meets high standards but with occasional dips in quality. Still safe for bathing, though less consistent than ‘excellent’ sites.

Sufficient
Passes the minimum EU and UK requirements. Bathing is permitted, but water quality may be variable and less reliable.

Poor
Fails to meet the required standards. Official advice is against bathing due to risks to health.

Who sets the ratings?
Natural Resources Wales monitors designated bathing waters during the season (May–September) and classifies them under Welsh Government regulations.

Why it matters:
Ratings guide public health advice, tourism confidence and environmental management. They reflect long‑term monitoring, not just daily conditions.

Rivers and coastlines under pressure

Beyond the beaches, rivers in South West Wales have also been highlighted as pollution hotspots. The River Tawe was recently ranked among the most sewage‑affected in the UK, raising questions about how inland water quality connects to coastal bathing standards.

In Pembrokeshire, warnings have been issued about sewage pollution at popular beaches, prompting local MPs to challenge regulators and water companies during Welsh Affairs Committee hearings.

Calls for reform and a sewage action plan

The wider debate has led to growing political pressure. Campaigners and politicians, including Welsh MPs, have called for a national sewage action plan to tackle pollution at its source. At the same time, Welsh Government has outlined plans to overhaul water regulation, promising reforms that put “people, the environment and future generations at its heart.”

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca‑Davies acknowledged that climate change and heavy rainfall — including 170% of average levels in September — can significantly affect water quality. He said maintaining standards will require “sustained investment, innovation, and partnership working across all sectors.”

A mixed picture for South West Wales

The headline figures show South West Wales beaches performing strongly, with almost all rated ‘excellent’. But the wider context of sewage spills, enforcement fines and river pollution means the story is more complex.

For swimmers and visitors, the classifications provide reassurance about water quality at designated sites. Yet campaigners insist that behind the ratings lies a system under strain, with regulators, water companies and government facing mounting pressure to deliver lasting improvements.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Welsh Water under pressure as sewage pollution incidents hit ten‑year high
Regulators report a surge in sewage discharges, sparking calls for tougher enforcement across Wales.

Residents say they’re ‘pooped off’ with Gower sewage spills
Locals express frustration over repeated sewage incidents affecting popular beaches on the Gower peninsula.

Welsh Water fined £1.35m for over 800 breaches to sewage discharge permits
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River Tawe one of the most sewage‑filled in the UK
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#aberafanBeach #aberavonBeach #barafundle #bathingWaterQuality #beaches #braceletBay #caswellBay #cefnSidanBeach #dwrCymru #freshwaterWest #huwIrrancaDaviesMs #langlandBay #naturalResourcesWales #newgale #pembrey #pendineSands #pollution #porthcawl #restBay #rhossiliBay #sandyBay #sewage #swanseaBay #tenby #treccoBay #waterQuality #welshGovernment #welshWater #whitesandsBeach

Almost half of Brits say they would never swim in the sea – with the number rising sharply amid sewage scandal

The poll also found that less than a fifth (18%) of people say they would actually be more likely to swim in the sea if the Government meets its target of cutting spills in half.

Staggeringly, more people (19%) said even if the Government hit its target, they would actually be less likely to swim in the sea, with 45% of people saying they still would not swim in the sea.

People were also asked if they went swimming in the sea during the summer months and if they now would not due to sewage dumping. The poll found close to three in ten (29%) of those who said they go swimming in the sea now said they will not do it at all due to sewage dumping. This is a rise of six percentage points from 23% in just two years, when the same poll was conducted for the Liberal Democrats in 2023.

The Liberal Democrats said the figures laid bare a “coastline crisis” with people “afraid” of enjoying the British summertime due to rampant sewage dumping. The party said that the Government would not be able to end the sewage scandal without giving the planned new regulator the power to levy serious and higher fines and holding persistent sewage dumpers criminally responsible.

Previous data has shown that the Welsh coastal constituencies of Ceredigion Preseli, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Mid & South Pembrokeshire are all in the top 10 most sewage-polluted in the UK, with Ceredigion Preseli taking the number one spot. While the River Tawe was the most sewage-filled in Wales and one of the worst in the entire UK.

The same data also showed that Dwr Cymru was the worst offender of all water companies, despite its small size compared to many in England.

Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Gŵyr Abertawe (Swansea & Gower) and Swansea Waterfront Cllr Sam Bennett said:

“This coastline crisis threatens to wreck Welsh summers, with people afraid of swimming in the sea due to rampant sewage dumping. These polluting firms have been let off the hook at every turn, and it is our local environments and people’s summer holidays that are suffering the consequences.

“In communities like mine, the sewage crisis poses a serious risk not only to wildlife and human health, but also to our thriving tourism industry.

“Both the UK and Welsh Governments have failed to get to grips with this crisis, and the public expect more than a job half done.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats will be running on a platform to clean up our waterways for good at next year’s Senedd elections. That means a full ban on water company executive bonuses, higher and more persistent fines for breaches and for a strong regulatory body that actually enforces the rules.”

#DwrCymru #openWaterSwimming #sewage #WelshLiberalDemocrats

Welsh Water under pressure as sewage pollution incidents hit ten-year high

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has stepped up regulatory action against Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, warning the company must make urgent and fundamental changes to its operations after recording its highest number of sewage pollution incidents in a decade.

New figures published today show Welsh Water was responsible for 155 pollution incidents in 2024, including 132 linked to sewerage assets—a sharp rise from 89 in 2022 and 107 in 2023. The data reveals a 42% increase in sewage-related incidents over the past ten years, with the majority traced to foul sewers (423 incidents), storm overflows (168), and water treatment works (166).

“We’ve seen a huge deterioration in performance since 2020,” said Nadia De Longhi, Head of Regulation and Permitting at NRW. “Despite repeated warnings and interventions, Welsh Water has been unable to reverse this concerning trend.”

Storm overflow data shows widespread failures

Alongside the pollution incident report, NRW also published its 2024 storm overflow spill data, revealing 112,589 spills lasting a combined 929,168 hours across Wales. While slightly down from 2023’s record-breaking 121,422 spills, the figures still reflect widespread operational failures.

Analysis by Afonydd Cymru found that the top 20 most frequently spilling assets operated within legal limits—defined as rainfall exceeding 4mm per hour—for just 1% of the time. In total, 276 assets spilled for more than 1,000 hours, far exceeding thresholds that could be considered compliant under exceptional rainfall conditions.

The worst-affected catchments included the Ogmore, Loughor, and Clydach, with many spills linked not to sewer blockages but to failures at wastewater treatment works, including inadequate storm tank capacity and failure to fully treat incoming sewage.

“Our priority is to prevent environmental damage before it happens,” said De Longhi. “We will be clamping down on unpermitted storm overflows and introducing tighter criteria for annual reporting.”

Enforcement and investment

NRW has already pursued multiple prosecutions against Welsh Water, including cases linked to pollution on the Gwent Levels and a tributary of the Afon Llwyd. Officials say enforcement is not the preferred route, but necessary when preventative measures fail.

The regulator has secured record levels of environmental investment through the 2025–2030 Ofwat price review, and introduced new guidance on storm overflow permits to tighten compliance.

In 2025, NRW will launch a dedicated team to increase monitoring of discharges, carry out compliance checks and audits, and implement Pollution Incident Reduction Plans with annual improvement targets. A new framework for performance assessments—developed jointly with the Environment Agency—will come into force in January 2026.

“We will be clamping down on unpermitted storm overflows and introducing tighter criteria for annual reporting,” said De Longhi. “Our priority is to prevent environmental damage before it happens.”

The latest figures follow a landmark case earlier this year in which Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water was fined £1.35 million for more than 800 breaches of its sewage discharge permits across Wales and Herefordshire. The offences, which took place in 2020 and 2021, were linked to failures in self-monitoring and data reporting—issues that NRW said were avoidable and indicative of deeper systemic problems. The regulator has since downgraded Welsh Water’s environmental performance rating to two stars, citing a continued decline in compliance and transparency.

Meanwhile, public frustration is mounting. Residents in Gower have staged protests at wastewater treatment sites, demanding action over repeated spills near popular beaches like Brandy Cove and Caswell. Campaigners say the discharges are harming water quality, threatening tourism, and putting public health at risk. Welsh Water has pledged £2.5 billion in environmental investment between 2025 and 2030, but critics argue that rising water bills—set to increase by 42% by 2030—should come with greater accountability and faster infrastructure upgrades.

A Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water spokesperson said:

 “We acknowledge the concerns raised in the report and accept that while the number of serious pollution incidents has slightly reduced, our performance is not where it needs to be. The industry across the UK has seen increases in pollution incidents.

 “We are rightly being held to a higher standard and have improved our processes to meet this challenge, with better monitoring leading to detecting more short-lived event and better reporting.

 “We are accelerating investment in key areas to reduce pollution incidents with a £4bn investment programme that includes £2.5bn on environmental projects.

 “While we have made progress, such as increasing the number of incidents we find and self-reporting, we know more needs to be done.

 “We remain committed to working constructively with NRW to deliver improvements and will be engaging closely on their new requirements and guidance, including the development of Pollution Incident Reduction Plans and further use of smart technology to spot problems in the sewer network before they can cause a pollution.”

NRW’s full Environmental Performance Report for Welsh Water, including updated star ratings, will be published this autumn.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Welsh Water fined £1.35m for over 800 breaches to sewage discharge permits
Published March 2024: Water company handed record fine after admitting widespread permit breaches across Wales.

Bumper water bills set for Welsh Water customers
Published April 2024: Customers face steep bill increases as company seeks to fund environmental upgrades and infrastructure repairs.

Campaigners in Wales join national protest against plastic pollution ahead of global treaty talks
Published May 2024: Environmental groups call for stronger protections for rivers and coastlines, including action on sewage and microplastics.

Residents say they’re ‘pooped off’ with Gower sewage spills
Published June 2024: Locals raise concerns over repeated discharges near popular beaches, calling for tougher enforcement and transparency.

#DwrCymru #pollution #RiverClydach #RiverLoughor #RiverOgmore #riverPollution #sewage #wastewaterTreatment #WelshWater

Welsh Water fined £1.35m for over 800 breaches to sewage discharge permits

The charges relate to Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s self-monitoring data submitted to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as part of its 2020 and 2021 annual reports. Due to the volume of non-compliances, the charges were summarised into 18 offences for the court’s benefit.

On the 16th October 2024 at Llandudno Magistrates Court, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water pleaded guilty to 15 out of the 18 charges. On the 17th December 2024 the company accepted the remainder of the Taken into Consideration (TIC) charges.

Since 2010 there has been a requirement on water companies to carry out self-monitoring of their effluent discharges from their sewage works and water treatment works.

Upon receiving its 2020 annual report, NRW officers say they were alarmed to find that the quality of the information provided had noticeably deteriorated compared to previous years, with over 600 breaches recorded. These were spread across some three hundred sites across Wales and Herefordshire.

In interviews, and in their defence in court, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water explained that an internal restructure of the sampling team and IT-related scheduling issues coupled with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic were the main factors in the deterioration.

NRW say that while the situation had significantly improved by the submission of the 2021 annual report, a number of non-compliances were again identified, albeit these were less in number.

The environmental agency said that Welsh Water should have had contingency plans in place to ensure the company met their legal duty to comply with their permits while going through the restructure.

Missing samples and data from the 2020 reporting year means that NRW was unable to fully assess or respond to any environmental impacts. While it’s possible that individually, these non-compliances may have been minor, NRW considers the cumulative impact of all the breaches significant in terms of environmental impact.

Siân Williams, Head of Operations from Natural Resources Wales said: “This case highlights inadequacies in the processes at Dŵr Cymru which led to widespread permit breaches across Wales and over the border during a period of two years.

“While we appreciate the disruption all businesses faced during 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic, we believe the failings shown by Dŵr Cymru were avoidable should better contingency planning have been in place.

“Dŵr Cymru’s performance has continued to decline for a number of years now, and this is a stark warning to the company that we will not hesitate to use our enforcement powers to secure the improvements we expect to see.”

NRW has downgraded Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water from a four-star (industry leading) company in 2020 to two-star (requires improvement) company in 2022 and 2023 as part of its annual Environmental Performance Assessment.

During 2023, Dŵr Cymru recorded it’s worst performance against the environmental performance metrics measured, with a spike in significant pollution incidents and a decrease in incident self-reporting.

The descriptive permit non-compliances dealt with by this prosecution are not included as part of the Environmental Performance Assessment matrix.

Siân continued: “The court’s decision is the culmination of this complex investigation into the company’s performance across Wales and Herefordshire. I’d like to pay tribute to the diligence and commitment of our regulatory teams in securing permit compliance and enforcing the systemic changes needed within the company.

“We will not hesitate to use our regulatory and enforcement powers where it is the appropriate thing to do to bring any permit holder into compliance.

“In line with our ongoing focus on water quality in Wales, we are investing more resources in frontline compliance monitoring and have increased our auditing of Dŵr Cymru’s self-monitoring activities.”

#DwrCymru #Environment #NaturalResourcesWales #pollution #WelshWater

Swansea Bay Sewage Scandal: Tawe named as one of the most polluted rivers in UK

According to data published today, the River Tawe is one of the most sewage-polluted in the entire UK.

Figures released today show that Dwr Cymru released sewage into rivers, lakes and the sea for more than 968,000 hours last year, an increase compared to more than 916,000 hours the year before, despite the public outrage and campaigns by groups like Surfers Against Sewage.

The River Tawe saw a staggering 2,173 sewage dumps in 2024, lasting 16,144 hours. This made it the 14th most polluted river in the entire UK.

Meanwhile, the River Neath saw sewage dumped 1,351 times, lasting 7,507 hours.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats, who have been campaigning to clean up Welsh rivers over several years, have stated that the new figures were ‘catastrophic’ for local wildlife and risk damaging tourism and public health.

The Party has stated that the Welsh Government have been ‘asleep at the wheel’, using Dwr Cymru’s position as a so-called ‘non-profit’ and ‘arm’s length’ organisation to avoid proper regulation and accountability.

They have also criticised the previous Conservative UK Government for failing to clamp down on the financial regulation of water companies, with Dwr Cymru having paid out huge bonuses to executives in recent years, despite having one of the worst environmental records of all companies and continuing to charge customers the highest bills in the UK.

Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Gwyr Abertawe (Swansea West & Gower) and Swansea Councillor for Waterfront Ward, Sam Bennett said: “The Welsh Liberal Democrats have consistently pressed both the UK and Welsh Governments to take meaningful action on this growing environmental crisis. Yet, Welsh Labour has remained asleep at the wheel—using Dŵr Cymru’s status as an arm’s-length body as an excuse to avoid proper regulation and accountability.

“As a result, we’ve seen Dŵr Cymru hike customer bills and hand out ridiculously large bonuses to its executives, all while ranking among the worst water polluters in the UK.

“Our rivers and seas are vital to our wildlife, our culture, and our economy—particularly tourism—and they deserve far better stewardship.

“If elected to the Senedd next year, I will use my voice to continue to hold both water companies and governments to account.”

Adding her comments, Welsh Lib Dem Leader & Senedd Candidate for Neath Jane Dodds MS said: “For years, the Conservatives allowed water companies to get away with polluting our beautiful local rivers while paying out massive and undeserved bonuses, all while charging Welsh customers record-breaking prices.

“The Welsh Labour Government must get to grips with this crisis and properly regulate Welsh Water and ensure there are real, enforceable punishments for breaking the rules and damaging our waterways.

“We’ve been pushing them for years on this issue, but they’ve totally failed to even start to get to grips with it.

#DwrCymru #featured #JaneDodds #Neath #pollution #RiverNeath #RiverTawe #SamBennett #Swansea #WelshLiberalDemocrats #WelshWater

Another 10k round the reservoir, in shorts for the first time this year. If it weren’t for the midges (got a faceful this morning) it really would be the perfect place to run - no roads nearby, no dogs, open views, good accessible paths and cafe, free parking for 90 minutes.

And I’d like to award them for Best Parking Payment Machine. Totally intuitive, large clear display screen, works fast.

All in all, I think this place is a hugely beneficial #community asset. Good vision #DwrCymru

No water? Don't worry - Jackie Stewart to the rescue.

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