Tenby sewer pipe replacement at centre of funding row

A fracture in the town’s rising main last month caused a pollution incident which led to ‘do not swim’ warnings at four local beaches.

This was the second time in just over a year that the pipe had leaked, and fears were voiced that a further would cause untold damage to Tenby’s tourist industry as well as to the environment.

Initially stalled

Calls from Tenby Town Council for immediate repair of the main were initially stalled by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.

The authority said in July: "Our investment plans run in five-year cycles and this sewer has been included in our next proposed business plans for 2025-2030, which was submitted to Ofwat in 2023.

Tenby should be a 'special case'

However the managing director of wastewater for Dŵr Cymru, Steve Wilson, has now agreed with town councillors that the pipe should be replaced as soon as possible and that ‘Tenby should be a special case.

The Tenby Clean Seas Working Group has been told that the town is a 'special case' and the pipe should be replaced as soon as possible. (Image: Tenby Clean Seas Group)

Councillors and representatives from Tenby Chamber of Trade, Tenby Sea Swimming Association and Plastic Free Tenby recently met Mr Wilson who told them: “We are really sorry that this burst occurred… Now that we've had this recent second burst in the last couple of years, we have decided it's a risk we don't want to keep having to take…Tenby should be seen as a special case.”

Ball into the court

The water company has now put the ball into the court of Dŵr Cymru financial regulator Ofwat.

But Ofwat has responded saying that Dŵr Cymru has been given the finances to proceed ‘and can begin work now if it chooses’.

A spokesperson for Dŵr Cymru said: "Replacing this sewer main in Tenby will require additional funding to what is available in our current budget for maintaining our network of assets.

"We are keen to undertake this work as quickly as possible, and while funding needs to be agreed first, we will continue to make our case to Ofwat and respond to their Draft Determination by the end of this month.”

"They can begin work if they choose"

An Ofwat spokesperson said: "Dŵr Cymru have requested additional funding for the replacement of rising mains in Tenby. We have provisionally determined that the company has already been funded to make this repair and can begin work now if they choose to.

"Our decision is open for consultation and the company has the opportunity to submit further evidence before we make a final determination later this year."

Evidence call

The leader of the Tenby Clean Seas Group, Tenby town councillor Duncan Whitehurst, said: “I’m surprised to hear Ofwat say that Dŵr Cymru has already had the funding to replace Tenby’s rising main.

"I’d like Ofwat to produce the evidence for this statement so that we can effectively challenge Dŵr Cymru."

“I hope the two companies can resolve this matter quickly without it turning into a game of He Said She Said.

“This investment is too important to business and the environment to be taken lightly.”