CONSULTATION: DOES THE LAW SUCCESSFULLY PROTECT THE FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENT IN WALES?

The First Call for Evidence did not cover agricultural pollution because the WG was awaiting the outcome of the Bolton review on the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regs., (summarised in an Afonydd Cymru review.)

This second Call for Evidence asks for EVIDENCE ON AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION.
It also welcomes more evidence on the First Call subjects which include wastewater treatment, CSOs and sewage, implementation of the Water Framework Directive, chemical pollution, monitoring, enforcement and the role of regulators.
The IEPAW wants your views on how the law is working:
• is the legal framework for preventing and/or dealing with water pollution satisfactory?
• are the laws within this framework being implemented so as to achieve their intended purpose?
• if not, what is preventing practical application of the law?
• are there gaps in the law?

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The Legal Framework includes:
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
Environment (Wales) Act 2016
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017
Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017
The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021
Other relevant material:
Planning Policy Wales: Guidance for national land-use and development decisions, and
Local Development Plans drawn up in line with Future Wales 2040 (due for 6-year revue/revision in 2026)
The Independent Water Commission’s final report (June 2025): recommendations for reform of the water sector regulatory system in England and Wales was followed by:
Welsh Green paper: Shaping the Future of Water Governance in Wales.

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You might consider whether law and regulations

• Ensure we have enough statutory evidence about water quality and fresh-water biodiversity?
• Ensure enough research into causes of deterioration and implementation of research results?
• Cover all the different pollutants which threaten freshwaters now and in the future?
• Cover changes in of livestock farming especially intensive livestock rearing?
  Cover changes in arable farming and expansion of anaerobic digestion?
• Stop soil loss into rivers?
• Stop loss of wild areas and wetlands?
• Are properly enforced?
  and,
• Is the Welsh Government allocating enough resources to water protection?
• Is the Welsh Government giving enough attention to future climate-change impacts on water & land-use?

• Send your submission to: IEPAW@gov.wales by midnight on Monday 27th July 2026