Western Telegraph: An MP has demanded action from Welsh Water to improve water quality in Pembrokeshire

14 March 2025

Henry Tufnell, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, has called for urgent action to improve the quality of water in Pembrokeshire's rivers, beaches, and surrounding seas.

This comes after concerns were raised about pollution incidents and poor environmental performance.

Mr Tufnell took to the sea at White Sands Beach in St David’s to highlight the importance of monitoring local water conditions.

Using the Surfers Against Sewage app, he confirmed that the water quality at White Sands and across much of the constituency was safe, marked by reassuring green ticks.

Mr Tufnell said: "It's fantastic to see these green ticks, knowing that there’s no sewage or waste running into our rivers and seas.

"That gives me the confidence to jump in for a swim — even if it’s going to be absolutely freezing."

However, he warned that not all areas were in the clear.

"Newport and Fishguard are facing ongoing issues, and it’s absolutely critical that we keep the pressure on Welsh Water to deliver better outcomes for our environment and our communities," he added.

As a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, Mr Tufnell recently questioned the chief executive of Welsh Water regarding the company’s poor environmental performance.

Recent reports revealed seven serious pollution incidents in the last reporting year, with Welsh Water receiving a concerning two-out-of-four-star rating from Natural Resources Wales — one of its worst assessments to date.

Mr Tufnell said: "I challenged Welsh Water directly on this.

"In Pembrokeshire’s Haverfordwest area, for example, the Cleddau Project found that a sewage system operating at 80 per cent capacity resulted in 56,000m³ of waste — equivalent to 17 tankers a day — flowing into a protected conservation area.

"That’s simply unacceptable.

"I asked Welsh Water’s leadership whether they would apologise to the residents of Haverfordwest, and they agreed."

Mr Tufnell remains committed to keeping the pressure on Welsh Water to ensure tangible improvements.