Welsh Water says wider environmental factors, including private systems and run-off, can affect bathing water quality

HENRY TUFNELL MP has demanded urgent answers from Welsh Water following concerns over water quality at Tenby and Lydstep Haven.

The Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP has written to Roch Cheroux, chief executive of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, after reports that a young boy had been hospitalised with sickness and diarrhoea after swimming in the sea at Tenby.

He also referred to a Natural Resources Wales no-swim alert at Lydstep Haven on Wednesday (May 6), with warning signs still reportedly in place on Monday (May 11).

Mr Tufnell described the situation as “extremely concerning” and said pollution incidents could affect public health, local businesses and Pembrokeshire’s tourism economy.

He said: “A situation like this has serious implications for our local economy, which relies heavily on tourism, particularly during the summer months when visitors rightly – and wisely – come to enjoy Pembrokeshire’s beaches.”

He added that such incidents could prevent residents from safely enjoying local bathing waters and deter visitors from coming to the county.

Welsh Water response

Welsh Water said water quality was affected by a range of environmental sources, and said there had been no storm overflow spills in the North Tenby area in the weeks leading up to the sample dates which led to its bathing water classification moving from Excellent to Good.

A Welsh Water spokesperson said: “At North Tenby, the classification moved from Excellent to Good following the results of samples taken during July and August.

“These samples are collected by NRW and test for two different types of bacteria. These bacteria can originate from a range of environmental sources, and it is important to note that there were no storm overflow spills in this area in the weeks leading up to the dates those samples were taken.

“Improving water quality is a shared challenge, and progress will only come through coordinated action across sectors. Factors such as rural land use, urban runoff, industry, soil erosion, illegal misconnections and private septic systems all play a part.

“We are committed to playing our role. We are currently investing more than £2.3 million a day to improve our services, including £2.5 billion between 2025 and 2030 to deliver environmental improvements across Wales.”

The Herald understands Welsh Water has previously indicated that the Lydstep issue relates to a private sewer and is not connected to Welsh Water assets or operations.

Wider concern

The intervention comes amid growing concern over the condition of Pembrokeshire’s rivers and bathing waters.

As The Herald has reported, volunteers involved in The Cleddau Project were recently given a stark warning over the decline of the Cleddau rivers at a meeting in HaverHub.

Professor Paul Withers, of Lancaster University, presented two years of citizen science monitoring data gathered across the Cleddau catchment, with those present told that major changes would be needed to restore the rivers to good ecological health.

The issue has become increasingly sensitive in Pembrokeshire, where clean seas and rivers are central not only to public health and wildlife, but also to tourism, hospitality and the wider coastal economy.

Mr Tufnell’s letter now places further pressure on Welsh Water and other agencies to explain what is being done to protect residents, visitors and businesses ahead of the summer season.

CLARIFICATION

Following publication, Natural Resources Wales contacted The Herald to clarify that bathing water classifications are based on four years of sampling data, rather than a single season or isolated results. NRW said Tenby North Beach’s classification change from Excellent to Good was determined using bathing water samples collected during the May to September season and assessed alongside the previous three years of results. NRW also noted that 25 of Pembrokeshire’s 29 designated bathing waters achieved the highest “Excellent” classification for the 2026 bathing season. However, the concerns raised in this opinion piece relate to wider public confidence in water quality, including rivers, streams, pollution incidents and the cumulative pressures facing Pembrokeshire’s environment.