The River Cleddau has become what local environmentalists have labelled ‘a barren waste of toxicity’ with claims that its entire eco-system is in grave danger of collapsing.

And the finger of blame is being pointed at Welsh Water’s Victorian sewage system, which is being overwhelmed by the ever-increasing amounts of discharge which are being pumped into it.

According to the Water Framework Directive, Welsh Water is allowed to pump untreated sewage and wastewater into the Cleddau via its Combined Storm Overflow (CSO) only when the system comes close to bursting, which is at times of extreme rain conditions.

However Welsh Water’s 2021 figures confirm that effluent is being discharged on a much more frequent basis.

The number of releases for 2021 include St Nicholas (366), Spittal (324), Waterston (283), Cosheston (251), Carew Brids Lane Tenby (179), St Ishmaels (110) and Angle (105).

As a result, the Cleddau's phosphate levels have now reached excessive levels.  Earlier this year Pembrokshire County Council announced that the river's phosphate failure rate currently stands at 88 per cent.

 

 

“The Cleddau has turned into a barren river,” commented keen environmentalist Simon Walters.

“I’ve lived next to it all my life and the changes I’ve seen taking place over the last five years are catastrophic.

“You’ve only got to look at Pembrokeshire Angling Society’s catch returns to see that fish stocks have dwindled to virtually nothing.

"2022 has been the best year nationwide for sea bass and at Milford Haven they’re there in their thousands. But the fish venture no further than Picton Point in Llangwm.”

Simon went on to say that there is evidence that the eco-system is now starting to suffer as a result of the sewage outpourings.

“The tiny brown shrimps which are at the bottom of the food chain have totally disappeared from the Cleddau and if you remove one niche, then the whole load collapses," he said.

“Fifty years ago between 500 and 800 Canada geese would arrive at Little Milford every year, but three years ago the entire flock disappeared.

"They’re still found on the estuary further downstream, but the water around Little Milford has become too toxic for them.”

Further evidence of the pollution around Little Milford are the number of dead crabs which can be found along the shore.

MORE NEWS

Meanwhile Welsh Water has confirmed that its operation of CSOs is highly regulated by monitors on 99.5 per cent of its CSOs.

“Whilst we cannot completely remove CSOs from our system as it would cost anywhere between £9-£14 billion and involve digging up almost every street in Wales, our CSOs are mainly operating as designed and permitted,” a spokesman told the Western Telegraph.

“However we recognise that with environmental legislation tightening and customer expectations changing, more needs to be done.”

Welsh Water is currently investing £836m in the wastewater network as part of a five year programme until 2025 while an additional £100m investment is expected to include further improvements to CSOs.

The spokesman was unable to confirm what percentage of this investment will be awarded to the Cleddau.