Company donates £150,000 to local rivers trust after polluting a city-centre river

A company responsible for polluting a river and lake in south Wales has agreed to donate £150,000 to a local environmental charity, following an enforcement undertaking secured by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

The payment by Erith Contractors Ltd, who polluted Llanishen Brook and Roath Park Lake in Cardiff, to the South East Wales Rivers Trust will support the delivery of projects aimed at conservation and restoration of river habitats across South Wales.

The case began when a member of the public reported foul-smelling grey water in Llanishen Brook to NRW on 28 September 2023

NRW’s officers swiftly investigated and traced the source of the pollution to groundwork taking place at the former HMRC tax office site as part of preparations to demolish high-rise buildings.

Raw sewage

A demolition crew had damaged a main sewer line, causing raw sewage to discharge into a tributary of Llanishen Brook, which ended up in Roath Park Lake.

Working closely with staff from Erith Contractors Ltd and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, NRW officers ensured that the damaged sewer was repaired and the pollution contained later that same day.

As part of the enforcement undertaking, Erith Contractors Ltd accepted full responsibility for the incident and committed to funding local environmental improvements through South East Wales Rivers Trust.

Martyn Davies, Environment Officer for NRW, said: “This incident shows how quickly accidents on construction sites can have a serious environmental impact.

“We’re pleased that Erith Contractors Ltd took responsibility for the discharge and agreed to make a significant contribution to support the health of our local rivers.

“Enforcement undertakings like this allow us to secure direct environmental benefits for the communities affected.”

Projects

Andy Schofield, Chief Executive of South East Wales Rivers Trust, said: “Whilst we would clearly prefer pollution incidents to be prevented in the first place, the South East Wales Rivers Trust, will ensure that this donation is used to deliver projects benefitting the wildlife of Cardiff’s streams.

“We will also work to raise greater awareness of the importance of our urban watercourses and the need to protect them for the benefit of local communities, both now and in the future.

“We’re grateful to NRW’s staff for their support in addressing the initial incident and for facilitating this investment into our local environment.”

Following the incident, NRW continues to monitor and assess the brook and lake for any long-term environmental impacts. NRW has also advised Erith Contractors Ltd to take extra precautions during future work to avoid similar incidents.

An enforcement undertaking is a form of civil sanction available to NRW under the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008. It allows companies to make amends for environmental offences by contributing to projects that directly benefit the environment.