River Tawe ‘one of the most sewage filled in the UK’

The stats have sparked an angry response from the Welsh Liberal Democrats who have accused Labour of not doing enough to tackle the issue.

The latest figures show sewage was dumped in the River Tawe 1,818 times in 2022, lasting 13,981 hours. This means that the River is the sixth most sewage filled in the entire UK.

Swansea Bay was also the 13th most polluted beach in the UK with 470 sewage dumps totalling 2,498 hours an increase on the previous year.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have stated that the sewage releases are posing a serious risk to local wildlife and human health as well as potentially damaging the region’s tourism industry. They believe that the Welsh Government is not doing enough to tackle the issue and seeking to blame farmers for water pollution instead of taking action to hold Welsh Water to account.

They have also called for a ban on bonuses for water company executives and for the money to be reinvested in improving infrastructure. Over the last three years the bosses of Welsh Water have received over £1 million in bonuses including almost £400,000 last year alone.

Commenting Liberal Democrat Councillor for Waterfront Ward Sam Bennett said: “It is tragic that Swansea has some of the worst sewage dumping problems in the entire UK.  This issue is placing human health in danger alongside our wildlife and tourism industry.

“Meanwhile Labour are standing by and failing to take the issue seriously. This is especially concerning given Julie James, the Environment Minister for Wales represents Swansea.  

“The fact taxpayers are expected to clean up water company’s messes while their executives have spent years siphoning off money to pay themselves large bonus is a joke.

“These large bonuses should be banned and the money reinvested into improving infrastructure. Dŵr Cymru is meant to be a non-profit.

“Labour urgently needs to get to grips with this crisis.”