By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Pollution from sewage treatment works into Herefordshire’s vulnerable waterways rose for the second year running last year.
Data released by the Environment Agency and published by campaigning website top-of-the-poops.org showed the problem, which occurs when stations are unable to deal with the incoming volume of waste water and so release it untreated, is not limited to the river Wye, but extends even to small local brooks.
The top eight worst spots for spillages across the county in 2024, each with over a thousand hours of sewage spills, were:
- The river Wye at Moccas (Welsh Water): 115 sewage spills lasting 2,074 hours;
Cradley Brook at Colwall (Severn Trent Water): 143 spills, 1,946 hours;
The Wye at Eardisley (Welsh Water): 108 spills, 1,765 hours;
The Worm Brook at Much Dewchurch (Welsh Water): 87 spills, 1,424 hours;
The river Frome at Tarrington (Welsh Water): 120 spills, 1,405 hours
The Wye at Eign treatment works, Hereford (Welsh Water): 121 spills, 1,283 hours;
Pinsley Brook at Shobdon (Welsh Water): 166 spills, 1,169 hours;
The river Lugg at New Court sewage pumping station near Lugwardine (Welsh Water): 89 spills, 1,080 hours.
Cusop Parish Council has raised the issue with Welsh Water, after 74 sewage dumps lasting 188 hours were recorded at the treatment works on the Welsh border where the Dulas Brook meets the Wye.
The village can expect 18 more homes under the county’s growth plans, while many more still are likely over the border in Hay-on-Wye.
Parish council chairman Nick Blayney said: “We would be failing in our duty if we did not explore the blatant environmental issues that confront us now, and even more so if more houses are built.”
But Welsh Water said while it “appreciate(d) the offer of a face-to-face meeting” with councillors, there is “currently ample capacity available at Hay-on-Wye treatment works to accommodate further growth expected” – a response which Coun Blayney called “wholly inadequate”.
Meanwhile law firm Leigh Day has said that Welsh Water has been added as a defendant to the River Wye pollution claim it is bringing, “for discharging sewage into the rivers Wye, Lugg, and Usk, which we allege is affecting water quality and river health”.
A Welsh Water spokesperson said: “We remain committed to reducing storm overflow spills and we are progressing our investigations on the environmental impacts of our operations.
“Eleven storm overflows in the Herefordshire catchment have been prioritised for our 2025-30 investment period.”