Welsh Water admits illegally spilling sewage near dolphin habitat

Poppit Sands off the west Welsh coast is officially designated a Special Area of Conservation and is home to lampreys, otters and Atlantic salmon. The waters of Cardigan Bay further offshore are home to a large population of bottlenose dolphins. But there’s a problem. Welsh Water, the non-profit company responsible for most Welsh sewage treatment, has been releasing untreated sewage into the bay for at least eight years without being fined. Presented with this and other findings by the campaign group Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP), Welsh Water admitted to the BBC that up to 50 of its sewage treatment plants are operating in breach of their permits, spilling sewage into the sea at times of heavy rain (when small amounts of spillage are allowed) but also in clement weather. The company’s excuse is a membrane-based form of sewage filtration not widely used elsewhere that clogs up on contact with salt water. “We’re not proud of it,” a spokesman said. The system is being replaced, starting a year after next.

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