HAFREN DYFRDWY AGREES £280,000 SEWAGE SPILL PACKAGE

Ofwat said Hafren Dyfrdwy had agreed to fund a £280,000 package of measures after an investigation found failures that led to excessive sewage spills. The regulator said the Severn Trent-owned utility breached its duties to provide adequate drainage and manage the contents of its sewers. It also found that the company lacked the processes and systems needed to meet those duties. Hafren Dyfrdwy supplies water and sewage services to around 109,000 customers in north-east and mid-Wales. The company and its shareholders will fund the package by 2030, without adding its cost to customer bills.

The measures include two storm water balancing tanks intended to reduce spills. Hafren Dyfrdwy will also work with a local preservation trust to help create a wetland habitat. Lynn Parker, Ofwat’s senior director for enforcement, said: “Our investigation found unacceptable breaches by Hafren Dyfrdwy, which have resulted in excessive spills from storm overflows.” She said Ofwat expected the company to address the failures so customers could regain trust. Hafren Dyfrdwy’s average customer bill rose by £54, or 9%, to £635 for the 2026-27 financial year.

Ofwat said this was the ninth case in its investigation across the water sector. The regulator said the investigation had secured more than £300 million in enforcement packages and fines. Parker said: “We understand that the public wants to see transformative change.” She said Ofwat was prioritising the investigation to hold companies including Hafren Dyfrdwy to account.