Latest water quality data reveals mixed results across Wales

Data on phosphorus levels in Welsh Special Area of Conservation (SAC) rivers shows small improvements, while interim water quality classifications for Welsh rivers hold steady, according to a new report from National Resources Wales (NRW).

The latest data for phosphorus compliance shows that 50% waterbodies in Welsh SAC rivers are now meeting stringent targets, compared with 39% in 2021.

In total, 122 individual water bodies within Wales’s nine SAC rivers were assessed – eight more than were assessed for the 2021 report.

A direct comparison between those assessed in both 2021 and 2024 shows 17 moving to a pass, and five falling out of compliance.

Non-compliances

But while there are improvements recorded, due to the changes in passes and failures on individual water bodies, the number of whole SAC river catchments with non-compliances has risen from five in 2021 to seven.

The Afon Gwyrfai and Afon Eden SAC rivers in north west Wales both previously met phosphorus targets, but now each have one failing water body.

As a result, the Afon Gwyrfai SAC will be subject to development restrictions to prevent further phosphorus impacting water quality. It will not be required for the Eden catchment as the failure was driven by one high sample.

Improvements downstream in the River Wye, which is now passing the phosphorus target, means that development restrictions on neutrality can be lifted in the most downstream water body only.

However, sustainable development will still be required in order to maintain compliance in the future.

Encouraging 

Mary Lewis, NRW’s Head of Natural Resource Management said: “The results for our Special Area of Conservation rivers are encouraging, and suggest that the scale of action undertaken in recent years is starting to make a difference.

“But we must also remember that there is a lag between our actions and measurable improvements in water quality, and it will certainly take more time before we see the kind of significant improvements we all want.

“Since our 2021 report, we have seen action at scale – by ourselves as environmental regulators, government, industry and communities – to improve the health of our rivers.

“What is important now is that we use this evidence to continue to work towards our shared goal of better river health for people and nature. We must keep up the momentum that has been built in recent years, and we must all play our part in driving down phosphorus and pollution in our waters.”

Since NRW’s 2021 phosphorus compliance report, Nutrient Management Boards have been created in failing SAC catchments, tasked with reducing phosphate pollution.

Pollution summits

A series of river pollution summits led by Welsh Government Ministers have brought together key representatives from different industries to deliver a plan of actions, including action to unlock housing development in phosphorus sensitive catchments.

This includes an extensive project led by NRW to review the environmental permits of larger wastewater discharges in SAC catchments.

In total NRW has varied 162 permits to include or tighten a phosphorus limit – either immediately or within Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s Asset Management Programmes.

This work has been crucial in informing water companies and local planning authorities about where there is capacity for new housing developments, without adding to the phosphorus load in catchments which are exceeding targets.

NRW has also published the interim classifications under the Water Framework Directive Regulations.

These show water quality remaining steady with 40% of water bodies at good or better overall status. This is the same as NRW’s most recent 2021 classification but an improvement of 3% from 2015 and 8% since 2019.

The Water Framework Directive Regulations uses a ‘one out all out’ approach for the overall status assessment, which means if one of the elements assessed fails, the whole water body fails. Without this, looking at each individual elements, 93% of water bodies reach good or better status.

Ecological health

The Water Framework Directive Regulations require measures to protect the ecological health of Welsh rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwaters using River Basin Management Plans to establish the measures required to achieve Good Ecological Status.

Regulators are required to undertake this assessment every six years. NRW has decided to publish an interim classification at year three in order to better track progress of water quality improvements.

Over the next financial year the Welsh Government is committing £16m to NRW’s Water Capital Programme to help tackle some of the key challenges.

Later this year, NRW is aiming to also publish condition assessments for marine Special Areas of Conservation wholly in Wales.

Ms Lewis added: “Wales’s marine Special Areas of Conservation support a wealth of habitats and species, but like our rivers, are under increasing pressure.

“These condition assessments will be vital evidence which will help to prioritise the actions and measures needed to improve these highly protected sites.

“It is our long-term ambition to align all reporting on water quality data to provide a more holistic overview of the current state of water quality in our rivers, lakes, groundwaters and the sea.”