CAMPAIGNERS took to the sea at Broad Haven today in a colourful protest demanding urgent action over sewage pollution in Welsh waters.

Surfers, paddleboarders, swimmers and families gathered on the beach on Saturday, with banners calling for cleaner seas and an end to pollution incidents affecting rivers and coastal waters.

The protest was part of the Surfers Against Sewage campaign, with demonstrators carrying placards reading “Keep the sea clean”, “Stop the pollution” and “Cut the crap”.

Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell attended the demonstration and made a speech supporting calls for tougher action. He has also recently written to Welsh Water raising concerns about pollution and water quality in the Tenby area.

Local community councillor Jeff Tierney, who works on and in the water at Abereiddy, said he fully supported the campaign.

Cllr Tierney said: “As a surfer, local community councillor and someone who works on and in the water at Abereiddy, I fully support the Surfers Against Sewage campaign.

“We are lucky at Abereiddy our water is excellent, but it’s clear the water companies have failed to invest adequately in ageing infrastructure over the past decades, allowing unregulated sewage discharges, poorly maintained drains and outdated treatment systems to become the norm.

“The result is that some of the treatment works are completely overwhelmed with sewage now effectively bypassing the treatment process, resulting in some rivers and coastal areas at times becoming unsafe and hazardous for swimmers, surfers, fishermen and other water users.

“Clean water should not be viewed as a luxury. It’s essential for public health, tourism, local livelihoods and the environment.

“The more this issue is brought into the public domain to make the public aware and put pressure on Natural Resources Wales to do their job properly, the better.”

Campaigners said the issue is no longer just an environmental concern, but one affecting public health, tourism, local businesses and confidence in Wales’ coastal waters.

Broad Haven, like many Pembrokeshire beaches, is central to the county’s identity and visitor economy.

Saturday’s protest showed the strength of feeling among those who use the sea regularly and believe not enough is being done to protect it.

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.

VOLUNTEERS and supporters gathered at HaverHub on Thursday (May 14) for a major update on the health of the Afonydd Cleddau catchment.

The Cleddau Project presented two years of citizen science water quality data, collected by volunteers from sites across the rivers and their tributaries.

Professor Paul Withers, of Lancaster University, who has authored key reports on the catchment, including the CCAP 2 report, gave a detailed analysis of the findings.

The message from the meeting was stark: Pembrokeshire’s iconic rivers have suffered a serious decline in water quality and wildlife, and major change will be needed to restore them to good ecological health.

Volunteers have spent the past two years monitoring water quality across the Cleddau system, gathering information on nutrients including phosphates and nitrates, as well as other indicators of river health.

The project says the data provides an important grassroots picture of the pressures facing the Western and Eastern Cleddau.

Local residents, environmental campaigners and community members filled the room, reflecting growing concern about the future of rivers which are central to Pembrokeshire’s biodiversity, tourism and heritage.

The meeting heard that pressures including agricultural diffuse pollution, wastewater discharges and nutrient enrichment continue to affect the catchment, with concerns over impacts on fish populations, habitats and species such as salmon, trout and otters.

The Cleddau Project works with partners including the West Wales Rivers Trust and contributes to wider efforts linked to the Afonydd Cleddau Nutrient Management Board.

A full report setting out the findings is expected to be released in the coming days.

One volunteer who attended said the evening brought both pride in the work carried out and renewed determination to push for action.

They said: “This data shows we can’t afford to wait.”

The Cleddau Project is continuing to welcome new volunteers and supporters as it moves into the next stage of advocacy and practical restoration work.

The group has previously organised community events and exhibitions, including My River at HaverHub, aimed at raising awareness of the importance of the Cleddau rivers to Pembrokeshire life.

The Herald will publish further details when the full report is released.