Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:58 pm on 21 June 2022.
Thank you, First Minister, for your response, and water quality is a significant issue for communities right across the country and Members in this Chamber. Only last week we were debating the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee's findings on the subject, and their report made for sobering reading. Tomorrow, we'll be debating the same committee's report on Natural Resources Wales, which raises questions about their progress on measures to monitor and manage water pollution. Recently, in Usk, hundreds of local residents marched in protest and made it clear that they've had enough of seeing the River Usk polluted as it currently is, and they demand action.
I acknowledge and welcome that steps are being taken by Welsh Water in particular to reduce the impact of overflows on the Usk and surrounding catchment area. The upcoming work on the Usk pumping station, as well as the planned installation of additional phosphorus strippers, are a step in the right direction, but regulation is fundamental to lasting change. First Minister, do you have confidence that the regulators have the capacity and are taking sufficient action to tackle these issues on the Usk, and, indeed, all Welsh river catchments? First Minister, what message can you give to reassure communities in the Usk catchment that the Government is on top of this situation?