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Hafren Dyfrdwy has today announced its commitment to the Wales Better River Quality Taskforce by launching five pledges to improve river water quality by 2030. 

The company has also become the latest UK water company to join ‘Get River Positive’ to transform river water quality. Central to the pledges is a commitment that work carried out by the company will ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers.  

The pledges made by Hafren Dyfrdwy today are to:

1. Ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers

• Using better data, we will find and fix problems quicker than ever before.

• Working in partnership with the Taskforce to deliver the storm overflow Roadmap.

2. Create more opportunities for everyone to enjoy the region’s rivers

• Working with local clubs to increase opportunities for water-based activities at our reservoir sites.

• Raising awareness of how and where to enjoy the water within the region safely.

3. Support others to improve and care for rivers

• Championing the banning of wet wipes that contain plastic and all wet wipes that are not ‘Fine to Flush’.

• Making sure that our Community Fund continues to offer support to community groups and charities that are improving our region’s rivers.

• Using our convening powers to help others address their contribution to river health and wider natural environment.

4. Enhance rivers and create new habitats so wildlife can thrive 

• Protecting, improving and creating new habitats for native wildlife to thrive – such as curlew, black grouse and the Welsh clearwing moth.

• Accelerating our peatland restoration programme– to deliver significant carbon benefits, improve the health of rivers and reservoirs and improve raw water quality for less intensive treatment processes.

• Working with community groups and organisations such as Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust to care for rivers and further address issues across our region.

• Cleaning and restoring rivers and riverbanks across our region, utilising our Community Champion volunteers in partnership with Glandŵr Cymru.

• Recognising the valuable role that woodland can play in safeguarding the natural environment, including improving water quality. managing our estate to deliver structurally diverse, highly productive, forests for biodiversity and natural amenity.

5. Be open and transparent about performance and plans

• Ensuring that our performance information is easily accessible and transparent on our website by the end of 2022.

James Jesic, Managing Director of Hafren Dyfrdwy said: “Announcing our pledges, and the commitment we have made to the Taskforce, are some of the many steps we are taking to improve the quality of rivers within our region. We recognise the vital role that our region’s rivers play, and that there is much more that we can do to make them the healthiest they can be.  

“We’ve listened to you, our customers, local communities and campaign groups and I am delighted to be able to announce this series of clear and actionable commitments, which will lead the way in protecting and revitalising rivers.”

Image credit: Getty Images