One of the joys that the warmth of summer brings is the opportunity for people to go out and enjoy the natural beauty of Monmouthshire, and as a Conservative, I strongly believe that we have a duty to protect these precious landscapes.
Our rivers, such as the Usk, make up a vital part of this beauty and must be protected, not only for their environmental importance, but to preserve them for future generations.
As many of you will know, the Welsh Government is responsible for the maintenance of rivers in Wales, however, it has clearly let this responsibility slip.
Last month, a report from Natural Resources Wales, highlighted the fact that Welsh Water was responsible for 115 pollution incidents in 2024, the highest number in 10 years.
Clearly, this is not acceptable and is sadly not a one off with sewage incidents having risen every year since 2022.
Welsh Water have also discharged raw sewage into Welsh rivers, lakes and seas for a total of 968,340 hours in 2024, the highest of any water company in the UK last year.
I am glad there is cross party agreement that something needs to be done. I was pleased to meet with politicians from different parties where we agreed to work together for the benefit of the community and river.
However, agreeing in principle to support our rivers is not good enough, and it is clear that the Government must also be taking real steps to improve water quality in Wales.
The Welsh Conservatives have long highlighted the fact that NRW is being asked to do far too much with far too little.
Last year, the organisation was forced to make £10 million worth of cuts, cutting 250 jobs. Clearly, the organisation needs reform if it is to ensure the sustainable management of Wales’ rivers.
The Welsh Conservatives have long believed in separating NRW up into different organisations in order to ensure the long term effectiveness and monitoring of Wales’ natural beauty.
Be rest assured, I will continue to hold the Welsh Government to account for the management of water quality in Wales and will gladly work with anyone willing to seriously tackle water pollution here in Wales.
Peter Fox MS - Monmouth
