Written question WQ93585
- Asked by
- Gareth DaviesConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 5 days
Question
How is the Welsh Government remedying pollution of land with sewage that poses a risk to livestock in Wales?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Since January 2019 Welsh Government has made sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) mandatory on almost all new building developments. This will relieve pressure on the sewage network by redirecting and slowing down the speed at which surface water enters the sewer system.
We are also working closely with water companies and Natural Resources Wales to tackle pollution from storm overflows and build long-term strategies that will improve water quality across our waterways. We have the highest expectations of our water companies to deliver across all areas of service. These expectations are set out in our Strategic Priorities and Objectives Statement which the then Minister for Climate Change issued to Ofwat in July 2022.
Untreated raw sewage, compared with treated sludge, may pose a higher risk to the environment and any livestock grazing sewage contaminated pasture. All sewage sludge producers and users in Wales must follow the Sewage Sludge in Agriculture: Code of Practice published in 2018.