James Evans MS has urged the Welsh Government to introduce a dedicated Water Restoration fund for Wales ensuring the fines issued to Dwr Cymru for environmental breaches are reinvested into restoring rivers and waterways.
Speaking in the Senedd yesterday afternoon, James highlighted the recent £1.3m fine imposed on Dwr Cymru for 800 sewage permit breaches across Wales. James also argued that local people are tired of raw sewage polluting their local rivers and calls for every penny from enforcement fines to be used to improve water quality as is already the case in England.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Huw Irranca Davies MS said the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales are continuing to invest in water quality improvements and pointed to the future investment improvement plans. The Minister also said that fines were a ‘last resort’ but acknowledge they are necessary where performance standards do slip.
James Evans MS, Senedd Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, said:
“Dwr Cymru were fined £1.3m for 800 sewage permit breaches across Wales, and I believe they money raised from those should be reinvested into restoring and making our waterways cleaner.
“I am very interested in why the Welsh Labour Government has not yet set up a water restoration fund for Wales, like there is in England, which guarantees every penny raised from any fines issued gets reinvested into cleaning our rivers and waterways.
“Local people are fed up of raw sewage in their local rivers, which is making them and their pets ill. It’s about time we had a fund in Wales to protect our wider public health and restore our natural environment, not just more empty promises from Governments and water companies.”
