Written question WQ88024
- Asked by
- Adam PricePlaid
- To be answered by
- Minister for Climate Change
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 12 days
Question
What range of powers does the Welsh Government possess in terms of undertaking punitive measures, including levying fines, against water companies for sewage dumping?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Climate Change
Water discharges by water companies are governed by environmental permitting legislation. The Welsh Government has no powers under that legislation to undertake punitive measures if water companies fail to comply with the environmental permitting regime.
The current legislation provides Wales’ environmental regulator, Natural Resources Wales, with a range of compliance and enforcement tools to investigate potential non-compliance and where appropriate, enables it to prosecute water companies.
Depending on the circumstances, such as the scale, nature and impact of non-compliance, sanctions for failing to comply with environmental permitting legislation in relation to water discharges could include an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment for up to five years.